I am an American, but my origins lie in a country where you cannot exercise your rights as a human being, let alone as a woman. Women are forced into marriage at a young age, girls need permission from their fathers or brothers to leave their homes, and embracing your sexuality is unfathomable — and illegal at times.
It is for this reason that I write to you.
As a local newspaper serving the people of Northern Virginia, I ask that you write an article on the Jan. 15 ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment in Virginia. It is crucial that we shed light on this recent event in Virginia that, while long overdue, must be celebrated.
On Jan, 15, 2020, Virginia voted on a resolution to ratify the ERA, making it the 38th state to pass this resolution. For decades feminists have been fighting to add a simple yet monumental phrase to the U.S. Constitution: "equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”
Shedding light on this century-long issue will give our daughters, mothers, and sisters not only the recognition they deserve, but it will pave the way for other states and even nations to recognize and embrace equal rights as well. If we—as residents of the state of Virginia—are one step closer to becoming a more equal and inclusive community, then we must hold a responsibility to report on these views and enlighten others along the way.
Rudan Balay
Springfield