"We support women and girls in elected office." "We support women and girls getting paid the same as men in professional sports." "We support women and girls in S.T.E.M.M. [science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine] fields."  ...All too often we hear these phrases, but without a constitutional guarantee that the United States practices what it preaches and indeed protects, supports, and encourages women and girls to thrive in American society, the current practice of sex discrimination will continue to make an appearance in America's schools, board rooms, military bases, sports fields, and everywhere in between. It is unconscionable that in the 21st century women are still often told things like they're not allowed to breastfeed in public, they're not "tough enough" to do traditionally-men's roles in the Armed Forces, and "because they dressed like that, they had it coming." It is time for policymakers to walk the walk and defend women by passing the Equal Rights Amendment and taking one step further to realizing true equality among American citizens. As an American who has spent enormous time living and traveling abroad, I have seen first-hand what equality looks like and what it certainly doesn't look like in various parts of the world. The United States needs to step up and be the democratic role model its citizens and others look for it to be. #EqualRightsAmendmentNow! -Michael Ramos, Democrats Abroad, Resident of Australia and Absentee Voter in Illinois