The Envoy

Hunter students are campaigning to raise awareness and support for the federal ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). 

Passed by Congress in 1972, Section 1 of the amendment prohibits denial of legal rights based on sex, while Section 2 gives Congress the authority to enforce that protection through legislation. The amendment received bipartisan support and was sent to the states for ratification. By 2020, 38 states—the required three-fourths under Article V of the Constitution—had ratified the amendment. However, legal and political challenges persist over a ratification deadline set by Congress, which expired June 30, 1982.

In January 2025, President Joe Biden publicly affirmed that the ERA met the constitutional requirements to be added to the U.S. Constitution. Advocates are urging Congress to pass a resolution confirming the ERA’s ratification and dismissing objections tied to the expired deadline.

Since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overturned Roe v. Wade, there is growing concern that other gender-related rights, such as access to contraception, abortion, and health care, could be rolled back. Supporters say the ERA would strengthen legal protections for these rights by ensuring gender equality under the law.

In response to the ERA’s stalled recognition, students in the Eva Kastan Grove Fellowship partnered with the Hunter National Organization for Women (NOW) to launch a campus-wide campaign. The fellowship is a public policy program based at the Roosevelt House of Hunter College that supports students committed to public service and human rights. Former U.S. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, a longtime ERA advocate, serves as a Grove Leader and helped guide the students’ organizing efforts.

As part of the initiative, a petition drive was held May 5 near the third-floor skybridge. Students stopped by to learn more about the ERA, ask questions, and sign a petition urging Congress to recognize its legitimacy.

“Now more than ever is an important time for people to be more politically active,” said Karen Leon, one of the Grove Fellows. “It was amazing to see the number of students who stopped by to support this petition.”

Sophomore Dechen Ponchung was among those who signed the petition, expressing frustration that issues such as mental health, reproductive rights and equal pay are often overlooked. She said  “As a woman, I feel it’s my responsibility to take action,” adding he rollback of women’s rights under recent political leadership has made speaking out even more urgent.

The Grove Fellows hope to continue collecting signatures and demonstrate widespread support among the student body. The drive will continue tomorrow, May 6, through Wednesday, May 7. 

Additional updates will be shared through campus communications and social media channels managed by the NOW club.