More than supporters, men are stakeholders in equality: A discussion about men and the ERA

Equality Now and the ERA Coalition sat down with representatives from Equimundo and A Call to Men for a powerful conversation about the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and what constitutional equality could mean for men. One idea resonated above all: the ERA is not just for women, it’s for everyone.

The ERA provides a legal foundation for gender equality. But it also offers something more: a vision of shared responsibility, a framework for healthy masculinity, and a legal opening for systemic change that could benefit every person living under US law.

“We have to think differently about gender equality and how men can step into being allies. But we’re not just allies, we’re also impacted. The ERA has immense value for us too.” said Wessel van den Berg,  Senior Advocacy Officer at Equimundo, capturing the core message.

As legal advocates and human rights defenders, we know that laws have the power to shape society. A constitutional guarantee of sex equality is long overdue in the United States and its absence holds consequences far beyond the realm of women’s rights alone. This conversation was a powerful reminder of how the ERA matters for fathers, sons, brothers, and partners and to all people seeking to live free from sex discrimination in a more equal society.

The speakers explored how fatherhood, care work, mental health, and identity are all shaped by the legal structures we uphold and how the ERA could help recalibrate those norms.

Zakiya Thomas, President and CEO of the ERA Coalition and Fund for Women’s Equality, emphasized the scale and unity of the movement, with over 300 partner organizations representing 80 million people across the country. And as she noted, this is not a fringe issue; “The ERA deserves its place in the Constitution,” she said. “It’s not just about women. It’s about community. It’s about the nation.”

The ERA offers a pathway to dismantle the narrow definitions of masculinity, responsibility, and power that limit us all.

“There’s a perception that when men take paid parental leave, it’s a vacation,” noted Thomas. “But being a father isn’t about babysitting your children. It’s about being there when they need you.”

Paid leave policies and the legal principles that justify or undermine them are not just social policies. They are legal indicators of how we value care, equity, and shared responsibility.

Another speaker, DeManuel Edmondson, Coordinator for Youth Initiatives at A Call to Men, reflected on how patriarchy has distorted manhood:

“We’re seeing patriarchy reinventing itself by glorifying the days when women were expected to be silent and stay at home, and so we’re really trying to challenge that by calling men in. The collective socialization of what it means to be a man, or the ‘man box,’ stops us from being our full authentic selves. The ERA will allow us to step into that.”

Healthy masculinity begins with healthy systems. Legal change, particularly through a constitutional amendment like the ERA, creates the possibility for far-reaching cultural shifts. The ERA isn’t about taking power away from men. It’s about using the collective power of the law to provide equal protection to everyone.

Legal expert Anastasia Law with Equality Now noted that men are “more than just supporters, they are true stakeholders in constitutional equality.” That framing matters. Because when we understand equality as a shared good, we create space for broader buy-in, broader impact, and a stronger democracy.

Learn more

• Download our latest ERA + Men Factsheet (2025)
• Learn how the ERA aligns with the US’s international human rights obligations
• Rewatch the live discussion

Share this article and invite others, especially men, to join the movement.