GOP lawmaker: Women don't need equal rights if they have guns

Virginia state Sen. Amanda Chase (R) told a gun rights group on Friday that the Second Amendment is all women need to protect equality.

“The Second Amendment has always been there,” she told the Virginia Citizens Defense League in an online live stream. “It’s our Equal Rights Amendment for women. So what else do you need?”

Chase, who announced her candidacy for Virginia’s 2021 gubernatorial election in February, has equated guns with women’s rights before.

After opposing the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment in January 2019, she told a right-wing radio show, “I call my revolver my little Equal Rights Amendment because it is empowering to women.”

Last March, Virginia Capitol Police filed an incident report after Chase allegedly cursed out a female officer for not letting her park in a restricted area. Chase accused the officer of violating her “equality of women’s rights.”

Last September, she ran a Facebook ad saying she was “not afraid to shoot down” gun control supporters. She later called the language an “oversight” and blamed her digital media company for “screwing up our original approved ad.”

Despite Chase’s opposition, Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment in January. The courts have not yet ruled whether the amendment can move forward from there.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.