The American Civil Liberties Union wants the Supreme Court to declare the all-male military draft unconstitutional.
The Hill reported that the ACLU has filed a petition with the high court saying women should be required to register for enlistment, as well.
The petition noted the Department of Defense lifted the ban on women serving in combat in 2013. However, the ACLU noted the mandate for men to register upon turning 18 has not yet been applied to women.
“Thousands of women have since served with distinction in combat positions across all branches of the military,” the petition reads. “The registration requirement has no legitimate purpose and cannot withstand the exacting scrutiny sex-based laws require.”
The Washington Post noted President Jimmy Carter had called for including women in the military draft more than 40 years ago.
In filing the petition, the ACLU represents a group called the National Coalition for Men.
“The registration requirement is one of the last sex-based classifications in federal law,” says the petition says. “It imposes selective burdens on men, reinforces the notion that women are not full and equal citizens, and perpetuates stereotypes about men’s and women’s capabilities.
The Post noted there has not been a draft for decades.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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