Alicia Keys says women lack constitutional rights

On the 250th anniversary of American independence, singer Alicia Keys sparked a national debate by asserting that women in the United States lack an explicit constitutional guarantee of equal rights. In a video posted to Instagram on July 4, 2026, Keys highlighted the unratified status of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which was first introduced in 1923.

The singer expressed disbelief that women are not explicitly guaranteed equal rights under the U.S. Constitution. She encouraged her followers to share ideas about what rights all Americans should have and to reimagine what is possible, directing them to a civic engagement initiative called the Peoples Bill of Rights 250. The campaign describes itself as nonpartisan, inviting input from Americans regardless of political affiliation.

Keys’s comments drew swift and sharp criticism from a number of conservative commentators and public figures. Comedian Rob Schneider challenged Keys to name a right women do not have, listing hazardous occupations he said women are free to pursue. Former ESPN anchor Sage Steele issued a similar challenge on social media. Others, like pastor Jordan Wells, accused Keys of manufacturing division and...