Women’s History Month is a nationwide celebration that signifies pride and achievement for women all over the country ever since March 1987 when it was first established.
It serves as a reminder of all that women have achieved and that we continue to grow every single day.
This celebration originally started off as Women’s History Week in 1978.
Then in 1987, Congress passed a Public Law declaring March as Women’s History Month. But what is Women’s History Month?
Originating from early women’s rights movements, March was honored to celebrate the historical significance of women and their achievements.
In order for this to happen though, women had to undergo many challenges.
From not being able to vote to not being able to live life the way they wanted to, they were forbidden to work and they were consistently objectified by society.
Women were not seen or respected the way a human should be. Women were even denied healthcare and education in many places.
By limiting these, society was limiting the rights of women. Many women recognized that this was incorrect and needed to be changed which brought in the idea of feminism and the fight against the patriarchy.
The first wave of feminism came in the late 19th century when Alice Paul began advocating for women’s right to vote. The second wave came in the 1960s when women such as Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan reshaped the ideology behind the gender roles for women.
Women, who were traditionally seen as only made to work in the home, had now begun to make their way into the workforce to prove that there’s no gender when it comes to jobs and responsibilities.
Then came the third wave in the 2000s where the internet was used to spread awareness, helping spread the word about feminism, reaching all corners of the world. More movements continued as the 2010s came about.
In 2017, the #Me Too movement gained widespread attention. The movement challenged the silence regarding sexual assault, creating a space for women where they could share their experiences openly.
By being able to speak out, the survivors showed girls all across the world that they are not alone, and the abuse that they faced is not their fault. Its impact remains a powerful testament to women’s strength and solidarity.
Many more individuals also played immense roles in shaping the history of women. From sports to education, women changed history in all fields.
Serena Williams is one of those many women from sports history that has been an inspiration to many. Tennis was always known to be a male dominated sport but Williams changed that as she came and broke records and barriers in professional tennis by earning 23 Grand Slams and 4 Olympic gold medals.
Malala Yousafzai, on the other hand, has been fighting for girl’s rights for education since she was a little girl. What started as a local battle of the people of Pakistan against the Taliban, turned into a movement that impacted the whole world.
Her story has helped many young girls regain their right to education and she continues to fight for this cause. These are just a few examples of women who have impacted history with their incredible work.
Women’s History Month is the perfect opportunity to celebrate all the women who have done countless things for women all over. Although society has come a long way and many changes have been implemented, there are still many women who have yet to get the help they deserve.
