Today starts a month-long celebration where we recognize women’s often-overlooked accomplishments and sacrifices throughout our history, society, and culture. Its roots stem from the suffragists who fought for women’s right to vote and grew into a week-long observation in 1978 at a school district in Sonoma, California. It then evolved into a national week-long observance by former President Jimmy Carter in 1980 and eventually became a month-long annual celebration in 1987 and corresponds with International Women’s Day on March 8th, which was first observed in 1910.
Each year the National Women’s History Alliance (NWHA) creates a Women’s History Theme, with the 2023 theme being “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.” This theme recognizes women, past and present, who have been active in all forms of media and storytelling, from print journalism to TV, podcasts, and more. “The timely theme honors women in every community who have devoted their lives and talents to producing art, pursuing truth, and reflecting the human condition decade after decade.”
Given the theme, below are some links to a few great ways you can help educate yourself on the various issues and injustices and the success stories and achievements that have impacted women.
- 9to5: The Story of a Movement (Netflix)
- Feminists: What Were They Thinking? (Netflix)
- Reversing Roe (Netflix)
- This Changes Everything (Netflix)
- Period. End of Sentence. (Netflix)
- The Janes (HBO)
- A Secret Love (Netflix)
- Audrie & Daisy (Netflix)
- She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry (Netflix)
- Miss Representation (Kanopy)
- End of the Line: The Women of Standing Rock (Peacock)
- He Named Me Malala (Amazon Prime)
- “Abolition. Feminism. Now.” by Angela Y. Davis, Gina Dent, Erica R. Meiners, and Beth Richie (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- “Bad Feminist” by Roxane Gay (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- “A Room of One’s Own” by Virginia Woolf (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- “Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics” by bell hooks (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- “Know My Name: A Memoir” by Chanel Miller (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- “Untamed” by Glennon Doyle (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- “Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity” by Julia Serano (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- Under the Sisterhood
- The Cut
- Our Body Politic
- Woman’s Hour
- Hysteria
- Encyclopedia Womanica
- TED’s round-up of 10 must-watch talks by women
Additional Reads and Events:
- https://www.clevergirlfinance.com/blog/financial-statistics-about-women/#:~:text=These%20financial%20statistics%20show%20that%20gender%20pay%20gap,other%20471%20are%20men.%20%28%20Catalyst%29%20More%20items
- https://www.womenshistory.org/events
- A Proclamation on Women’s History Month, 2023 – The White House
- https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/womens-history-month
While women have made substantial political and economic strides over the last 50 years and played a vital leadership role in our nation’s history, much progress remains to be made. I encourage you to check out the links above to help you reflect on the past generations of strong and brave women who made an impact in our world and honor the women who made a difference in your own life not just this month but throughout the year.