A ballot initiative that would elevate abortion access and “gender expression” to a protected status across New York will not appear before voters in November, a potential blow to Democrats seeking to campaign on the hot-button issues to win back seats in Congress.
The New York State Constitution currently prohibits discrimination based on “race, color, creed or religion.” The proposed constitutional amendment, referred to as the Equal Rights Amendment, would expand that list to include “ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes,” and “reproductive healthcare and autonomy.”
