National Women’s Month
Every March, America celebrates the amazing accomplishments of women around the world for National Women’s Month. This month highlights the many contributions and struggles of women since the first National Women’s Day was observed in 1909. Women in the United States continue to face discrimination in the realms of education, pay equity, workplace safety, and workplace policies, as well as sexual harassment and violence. With all this in mind, it is important to recognize the inspiring women who have overcome these obstacles to pursue their dreams and make the world a better place.
Beginning with the women’s rights movement in the 19th century, women have begun a long struggle for basic rights to work, own property, and vote. In 1920, the 19th amendment gave women the right to vote, which enabled them to pursue more opportunities in the public sector and participate more fully in the democratic process. This fight for equal rights was continued during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, which helped pass the Equal Rights Amendment in 1972. Despite this victory, women have not yet achieved parity in the workplace, with women earning approximately eighty cents for every dollar a man earns.
The field of education has also seen significant advances in recent years with more women enrolling in college and enjoying greater opportunities to pursue their career aspirations. In 2019, women made up 56 percent of all college students, a monumental increases since 1969, when women earned just 37 percent of bachelor’s degrees at four-year institutions. The gains made in education have been echoed in the corporate arena, with more women occupying executive positions and higher salaries than ever before.
While great strides have been made in women’s rights in the United States, there is still much work to be done. Women around the world still face bigotry and oppression in various forms. Thus, this National Women’s month is a time to celebrate and honor the achievements of the many brave and strong women who have paved the way for others to follow in their footsteps. It is also a time to assess how far the world has come, while recognizing the fact that there still remains a long way to go. Let us remind ourselves of the importance of striving to create a society in which gender equality is a reality and not simply an idea.
