As we are coming to a close on Womxn’s History Month, I figured it would only make sense for me, a womxn, to write about why this month is important (and why womxn are great).
Here’s some background on WHM:
- WHM has been celebrated since March 1987 when Congress + Presidents issued proclamations for WHM.
- International Womxn’s Day came before WHM.
- WHM used to be celebrated weeklong within the school district of Sonoma, California, in 1978.
- Eventually all schools began celebrating womxn all weeklong and Pres. J. Carter claimed March 8th to be Womxn’s History Week.
- And soon after, around 1987, National Women’s History Project successfully petitioned Congress to celebrate womxn all month long every March.
Now that I’ve given you some basic info on this great month, here’s some reason why this month is necessary and needs to be celebrated.
1. Acknowledging Womxn
While this month is about recognizing and shining the light on Susan B. Anthony, Mary Wollstonecraft, Sojourner Truth, or Maya Angelou, it’s also the month to recognize womxn of all backgrounds! This month is all about recognizing the great contributions womxn have given in our lives, country, and world. And though this comes once a year, make sure to always thank/respect all the great womxn in your life (and those who aren’t).
2. ♫ Who Ya Gonna Call? Mythbusters! ♫
Jokes aside, this month is also about tearing down myths about what womxn can and can’t do. Whether it’s kicking ghost butt or writing code into space, this month gives evidence on how womxn can do anything men can do (and sometimes, even better than men). Which brings me to my next point down below.
3. Empowering Young Girls/Womxn
This month is important because not only are we acknowledging the current and past womxn, but future womxn. As a kid, it was disappointing to see how textbooks focused on how many men were “huge” contributors to this country/world – I hardly read much on womxn’s contributions. This month is dedicated to empowering future generations of womxn and telling them that they can be whoever they want to be – that there is no limit to what you can contribute to this world. The womxn who have created history in the past are inspiration to womxn who will create future history (oxymoron, I know).
As March ends, remember to acknowledge womxn from the past, current, and present. Recognize their worth and great contributions to this society and world. Fellow queers/everyone, recognize ALL of your sisters. Men, respect womxn. And most importantly:
womxn, lift each other up.
