In an unexpected turn of events, on January 17, 2025, President Joe Biden, after a political career spanning over 50 years, announced that he had come to recognize the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) as officially ratified. Throughout his long tenure in public service, which included significant time in the Senate and as Vice President, Biden had always been a vocal supporter of gender equality and women's rights. However, the ERA, passed by Congress in 1972, had languished due to a contentious ratification process, with only 35 states ratifying by the extended deadline of 1982. The amendment's full ratification was considered a long shot until Virginia's ratification in 2020 brought the tally to 38, the number needed for constitutional amendment.
 

The legal landscape around the ERA was murky; the original deadline for ratification had passed, some states had attempted to rescind their ratifications, and there was no clear directive from Congress to extend or remove the deadline retrospectively. Biden's recognition came after years of legal debate, with scholars and activists arguing that the ERA had indeed met the constitutional criteria for ratification. His announcement was seen as a historic moment, acknowledging the ERA's status as part of the Constitution, despite the ongoing debate about its legal enforceability. This move was interpreted by many as Biden leveraging his authority to push for gender equality in a meaningful, albeit controversial, way.
 

This acknowledgment by Biden, coming at the very end of his presidency, was perceived by some as a legacy-building move, aimed at cementing his commitment to civil rights and gender equality. His statement was not just about recognizing a legal fact but also about sending a strong message about the government's stance on equality. By declaring the ERA ratified, Biden aimed to influence both public perception and future legal interpretations, encouraging further action from Congress or the courts to officially certify the amendment. This moment, after 43 years of political engagement, was seen as Biden finally putting his weight behind a piece of legislation he had long supported, sparking a new chapter in the ongoing saga of the Equal Rights Amendment.