The organization known as Equal Rights Oregon has withdrawn its petition for the ballot initiative. Initiative Petition 33, otherwise known as Equal Rights for All, sought to add abortion, same-sex marriage, and cross-sex treatments to the Oregon constitution as rights.
The initiative launched in June 2024 and was backed by The American Civil Liberties Union, Basic Rights Oregon, Planned Parenthood Action of Oregon, and Latino Network.
According to Live Action, Equal Rights Oregon "failed to gather enough signatures to get the measure on the November ballot." Only 8% of the required signatures were collected. The petition has trouble gaining traction even though $1.3 million was spent for it.
No reason was given for the decision to withdraw the petition, although Live Action said that "Oregonians are less supportive of so-called gender affirming care." A pollster at DHM Research also reported that that the transgender issue was the least important to them, even though they still support abortion and same-sex marriage.
It is still surprising as this is the state which has voted for Democrat president in every election since 1988. In the 2024 election, Kamala Harris won 55.7% of Oregon while Donald Trump pulled in at 41.2%. However, Trump did win more counties even though Harris held the popular and electoral vote.
Pro-life activist Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, told American Family Radio (AFR) that he is glad to see it.
"It looks like the nationwide pushback that we've seen against these life-changing surgeries on minors and the effect of hormones to try to change one's gender is what brough this down," states Pavone.
Even, he says, in places such as Oregon.
"Parents are parents. When they realize the danger being imposed on their children, they're going to cross political lines, they're going ideological lines. The children are going to come first, and I think this is what caused this petition to fail," states Pavone.
