Get The Facts

Read our "Why Paper"

Our proposed amendment, Equality of Rights Under the Law, would be the most comprehensive Equal Rights Amendment in the nation. It would stop the government from discriminating against its citizens on account of race, color, creed or religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy status, genetic information, age, disability, recovery status, familial status, ancestry, national origin, or military status.

Furthermore, Equality of Rights Under the Law would extend these equal rights protections to marriage. Currently, Ohio’s constitution contains a ban on same-sex marriage and offers no protections for interracial marriages. Our amendment would ensure that couples can be legally married under Ohio law, regardless of race, sex, or gender.

FAQ

Who does this benefit?

Our goal is to benefit all Ohioans. We propose protections for race, color, creed or religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression regardless of sex assigned at birth, pregnancy status, genetic information, disease status, age, disability, recovery status, familial status, ancestry, national origin, or military and veteran status. With such comprehensive protections, there are few people in this state who would not fall under at least on of these protections or have a loved one who does.

Additionally, we include explicit protections for same-sex and interracial marriages. Our amendment seeks to modernize our constitution by extending protections to marriage, safeguarding couples’ marriages regardless of race, sex, or gender. The Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision which revoked the protections of Roe v. Wade has led many to wonder if our federal protections for same-sex/same-gender and interracial marriages will be overturned going forward. This amendment is a necessary defensive step to ensure our rights as Ohioans are not revoked because of decisions made at the federal level.

How will this help Ohio Economically?

Ohio currently lacks nondiscrimination policies in its Constitution, relying instead on legislation from an often unreliable legislature. An Equal Rights Amendment would not only protect LGBTQ+ individuals and families but also make Ohio more attractive for businesses. This would help Ohio to stem economic losses that have occurred in the last few years. Ohio has also experienced significant population losses, resulting in one less seat in the federal congress as a result of the 2020 census. An Equal Rights Amendment could help prevent and reverse this worrying trend by making Ohio a more appealing state for people and businesses to establish themselves.

How does this Amendment compare to other states' protections?

24 states have a state-level Equal Rights Amendment, but the protections in them vary widely in their coverage. The Ohio Equal Rights Amendment would have the most comprehensive protections for people of marginalized protections in the nation. Our Amendment is most similar to the ERAs passed in Nevada is 2022 and New York in 2024.

Is Ohio ready for a change this big?

Yes, Ohio is more than ready for this change.

Furthermore, Ohioans have shown support for strengthening our rights through the citizen-led ballot initiative process. In the past years, we saw this with both the reproductive rights amendment, the marijuana initiative, and perhaps most prominently the failed amendment to make it more difficult for citizens to amend our constitution. For example, 2023 PRRI study shows that 76% of Ohioans support nondiscrimination laws for the LGBTQ+ community, a number that has been steadily increasing.

Why are you doing this right now?

Ohio has waited long enough for the legislature to enact modern equal rights legislation or propose an equal rights amendment. There has been an increase in discriminatory legislation targeting the LGBTQ+ community, attempting to control pregnancies, infringing on privacy, and trying to rob regular Ohioans for the benefit of billionaires. . It's time to move from defense to offense by utilizing the citizen-led ballot initiative process to amend our constitution and reflect the will of the people.

What does it mean for this campaign to be grass-root?

Our organization is:

Ground Up: We focus on building power among regular people, and our volunteers are actively involved with our Ohio Equal Rights' decisions. Those who want to support the ERA campaign but are not already involved with an advocacy organization can do so through OER.
Community and Relationship Centered: We are relational organizers. Our efforts began as a way to protect our communities and we focus on mobilizing relationships to activate others to do the same.
By Impacted People: Our leadership team is entirely made up people who are directly impacted by disrimnatory legislation.

What can I do to help?

There are several ways you can help:

Volunteer: Sign up for a New Volunteer Orientation!
Donate: Funds go to legal fees, polling, hiring field organizers, and printing petitions.
Spread the word: Encourage friends and family to volunteer or donate, and follow us on social media to extend our reach.