By Bryan Boggiano

The League of Women Voters of Broward County will host an event titled “INequality Day,” where they will discuss the history of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and current women’s rights issues.

It takes place Sat. Aug. 26, from 2:30 p.m. through 4:30 p.m. at the Northwest Regional Library, at 3151 N. University Drive.

The event will include presentations from the Broward County Commission on the Status of Women and State Rep. Robin Bartleman. A question-and-answer session will follow.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz was originally scheduled to appear, but event organizers said she would be in Washington, D.C., on Saturday after getting called in.

Admission is free and open to the community. There will also be complimentary refreshments. Attendees will also have the chance to share what they believe women’s equality means to them through an interactive exercise.

According to Co-President Monica Elliott, Equality Day commemorates the adoption of the 19th Amendment, which gives women the right to vote.

This year’s commemoration leads to the 100th anniversary of introducing the original ERA in 1923. While 38 states ratified the Amendment, the final state to do so, Virginia, was in 2019. Five other states revoked their original approvals, and the original ratification deadline was in 1979, casting numerous legal questions.

“We’re still fighting for it, 100 years later,” she said.

Elliott said the League of Women Voters’ upcoming “afternoon of activism” comes as states pass laws restricting women’s rights, especially in reproductive health care. This follows the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022.

“Our bodies are our own,” she said. “Nobody should be telling us how we deal with our bodies.”

She stated regardless of one’s sex, women’s issues affect everybody. That is why, Elliott said, the League of Women Voters actively engages with men and considers the intersection of women’s issues and race, socioeconomics, and other demographic factors.

While the League of Women Voters is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates, Elliott said ahead of the 2024 election that voters must be aware of the issues and practice their civic duties.

She stated although voters focus on who is at the top of the ballot, they should focus just as much time and attention on local and state races.

Although a candidate’s values may not align completely with the voters, Elliott encouraged people to vote for whom they believe will stand up for their core values.

“The way that you have your voice heard is through voting,” she said. “To have a voice, you have to vote.”

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