Why Women’s History Month Is Important

In the beginning: The fight was not for all women
The Women's Suffrage Movement set in motion the fight for women's rights, or more specifically, for the voting rights of white women. In 1908, thousands of white women marched arm in arm seeking improved labor laws and working conditions as well as the right to vote. In 1920, the 19th Amendment gave white women the right to vote. The suffrage movement, however, left out Black women, Native Americans, and Asian-Americans. These marginalized groups wouldn't be allowed to vote until years later. At the International Conference of Women in Copenhagen, Germany in 1910, 100 women across 17 countries founded International Women's Day on March 8, 1911.

When is Women's History Month?
In 1975, the United Nations became the official sponsor of International Woman's Day. International Woman's Day progressed to Women's History Week. In 1980 Jimmy Carter proclaimed it a National Women's History Week. and then six years later, Women's History Month was declared across 14 states. In 1987 Congress passed Pub. L. 100-9 which officially designated the month of March 1987 as “Women's History Month,” according to WomensHistoryMonth.gov.

There are countless ways to honor the women who have come before us and celebrate Women's History Month. We can do so by reading books about trailblazing women like Hidden Figures or watching movies that depict the doers and thinkers of the world. We can also visit sites across the nation to learn more about women's history, like the Eleanor Roosevelt National History Site.

Now, in 2021, there are important modern women to celebrate. These are famous women who, in the last several years have changed the world for the better. Cisgender Women like Vice President Kamala Harris, Voting Rights Activist Stacey Abrams, and U.S. Representative Katie Porter and her infamous whiteboard. Although progress is slow, transgender women, are finally having their well-deserved moment; among them, producer and director Janet Mock, who recently signed a multimillion-dollar deal with Netflix.

Women's History Month goes beyond learning about women who have come before us, however. We must also put in our own work today for a better future. It's not just famous women or women in politics who are able to do the work for future generations. Now, more than ever, every single one of us has a voice.

Why Women's History Month is important
Katie Reed is a homeschooling mom of four boys. "I've become far more interested in women's history than pre-kids. I think it's exceptionally important for them to learn more about the women who made this world better since so often they are surrounded by nothing but a male perspective," she told Mom.com.

And it is from that male perspective that stories have been told through the years. Even as early as 1609 in Jamestown, this was evident. Everything we thought we knew about Pocahontas was told from the perspective of Captain John Smith. We know now that his embellished story was not the full truth; their '"friendship" was likely, not mutual. Stories about women, from the perspective of their lived experiences, are important.

Women's History Month is important because regardless of how far we've come, we still have miles to go before we're on a level playing field. Celebrating Women's History Month reminds us of all women have accomplished through the years. It shows us that despite adversity, gender bias, and misogyny, women continue to blaze the trail of change and growth.

Earlier this month, The White House delivered A Proclamation on Women's History. It highlights the women who have helped strengthen the country despite the horrors of this global pandemic. But it also recognizes the distinct challenges many women have faced during this difficult time. "Job losses due to COVID-19 have set women’s labor force participation back to its lowest point in more than 30 years — threatening the security and well-being of women and their families and imperiling the economic progress of our entire Nation," the White House proclamation states.

A disproportionally large number of women-owned businesses were forced to shut down during COVID-19. A Chamber of Commerce survey reported that "the number of female business owners who ranked their business's overall health as 'somewhat or very good' fell 13 points during the pandemic, from 60% in January to 47% in July 2020. A percentage that is in stark contrast to those of their male counterparts whose business health status fell a mere 5 points during the same time period."

This year in particular, as we begin to see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, there is much to rebuild. Women's History Month is a great time to uplift the women in our lives and support them. We need to work harder to support women-owned businesses in the coming months and years. As the trailblazers who came before us have done, we'll move forward to begin to heal and repair the damage of the past year. We'll do so with eyes on the future as we hold fond memories of those we've loved and lost.