Title
RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF AN EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT TO THE MINNESOTA CONSTITUTION.
Body
CITY PROPOSAL AND BY COUNCILOR WESTERLUND:
WHEREAS, the residents of Duluth have historically supported equal rights for women. For instance, in 1982, the Duluth city council unanimously adopted Resolution 82-0068 urging the Minnesota legislature to adopt an equal rights amendment to the Minnesota Constitution and in 2018, the council passed Resolution 18-0236 affirming the city’s commitment to eliminating discrimination against women and girls; and
WHEREAS, the city of Duluth continues to support equal rights for all people; and
WHEREAS, women in Duluth continue to confront a lack of political parity, workplace discrimination, health care inequality, disparate rates of poverty, and sexual assault and domestic violence; and
WHEREAS, the Minnesota Constitution does not explicitly guarantee that all rights that it protects are held equally by all citizens without regard to gender; and
WHEREAS, an equal rights amendment would ensure that women and men have the same constitutional protections and would help correct systemic gender discrimination.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the city of Duluth calls for an amendment to the Minnesota constitution to include an equal rights amendment providing for gender equality under the law:
Statement of Purpose
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: The purpose of this resolution is to support an equal rights amendment to the Minnesota Constitution guaranteeing equal rights for women under the law.