Opinion: Vote ‘Yes’ on Prop 1 to Keep Politicians’ Hands Where They Belong

“We can remove the mystery of whether or not our rights can, and will, be tampered with. We can keep the power over our bodies and our futures where it belongs, in our own hands, by going out and voting ‘Yes’ on Prop 1.”

Enough is enough with politicians having the power to tamper with the rights of their constituents. Proposal 1, or “Prop 1,” on the New York statewide ballot this year offers us a solution.

Supported by New Yorkers for Equal Rights, Prop 1 is more commonly known as the New York Equal Rights Amendment. It seeks to expand New York’s Equal Rights Amendment by adding “ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, and sex—including sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive healthcare and autonomy,” as protected classes.

None of these classes are newly protected. Their rights are currently stated in state law and regulation. The issue is that they can be easily tampered with depending on who is in office. By cementing them into the state constitution, we can take the power out of politicians’ hands. We can secure our rights in a way that goes beyond an election cycle.

When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, 50 years of federal protection of abortion rights came to a halt. Individual states now decide who can and cannot get abortions. Abortions are currently banned in 14 states, and 11 states have put limits on when an abortion can happen, per Ballotpedia. Anti-rights groups and politicians across the country are working on measures to further limit sexual and reproductive rights. 

You may be saying to yourself: “But New York is known for being a liberal state, I don’t think we have to worry.” New York is indeed one of the more liberal states, mainly because of its large urban areas. In 2023, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed into law that New York is a “safe harbor state” for people seeking abortions. However, just because we have maintained our abortion rights so far does not mean we are immune to the political weaponization of reproductive rights.

In the past decade alone, 53 anti-abortion bills have been introduced by New York State politicians. In 2022, the Republican candidate for state governor was Lee Zeldin, a politician with a harsh anti-abortion agenda. He came within 6 percentage points of winning. That is too close for comfort. The time to act is now. We need to close the loopholes that exist in the state constitution so that no one has the power to infringe on the rights of the people of New York. We do that by approving Prop 1.

Coalition to Protect Kids – NY is leading the opposition to Prop 1. They have gained the support of parents, conservative, and religious groups. Coined the “Parent Replacement Act,” they have used fear and false narratives, such as that the state will promote gender-affirming care for transgender youth, or even pay for their surgeries. They’ve campaigned on an argument that senior discounts will be banned. They are convincing people that abortion rights don’t need to be in the constitution because they are already written into state law. As we’ve already discussed, those laws are in jeopardy if anyone anti-abortion enters office, which is a real possibility.

The opposition is not telling people that nothing in New York will change if this amendment is approved. Each one of the proposed protections already exists in state law or regulation. Proposal 1 would take them and put them into the state constitution. 

For being one of the more progressive states, New York is actually behind the curve when it comes to states adding equal rights protections into its constitution. As of February 2023, 29 state constitutions have expanded the protection of equal rights, either in their original text or added later as an amendment. New York is one of the most diverse states in the U.S. Having expanded rights added to our state constitution honors that diversity and protects all of the freedoms that we stand for. 

We all know that New Yorkers can talk the talk, but it is time for us to walk the walk. It is safe to say all bets are off when it comes to the future of abortion and reproductive rights in this country. The same could be said for the rights of people based on their sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. We can remove the mystery of whether or not our rights can, and will, be tampered with. We can keep the power over our bodies and our futures where it belongs, in our own hands, by going out and voting “Yes” on Prop 1. 

As a woman, a New Yorker, an American, a nurse, a grandchild of immigrants, and an ally, I urge you to consider the importance of this proposal and what it can do to protect our futures.

What YOU can do:

• VOTE on Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024) 
• To find more information on how to vote, to check or update your voter registration status.
• Track your mail-in ballot or check your poll site here.

• Spread the Word about what Prop 1 is and what it can do!

Annie Kapral is a nurse in New York City who is passionate about protecting reproductive freedoms and transgender rights. She is a graduate nursing student at the University of Pennsylvania, studying to become a family nurse practitioner.