By taking the time to recognize the accomplishments of women throughout history during Women’s History Month, women today should strive to make just as much of an impact as those in the past.
After Congress passed Public Law 100-9 in March of 1987, the month of March was nationally acclaimed and helped spark more conversations about the adversities women were facing in the United States.
The recognition, however, only surfaced after the numerous protests throughout the decades before.
The 1848 Seneca Falls Convention was the start of the Women’s Suffrage Movement, and was followed by state campaigns, court battles, marches and petitions to Congress- all leading to the establishment of the 19th amendment in 1919.
While many women were involved in these movements, names such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony are renowned for the founding of the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) in 1869. Other names such as Harriet Tubman and Rosa Parks have also made impacts- not only towards women’s suffrage, but towards abolition and the removal of racial segregation.
March is a time to celebrate all women throughout history- those who have aided progression in society, discovered new philosophies, invented technology and spoken out about the wrongs of the world.
But just because we have come so far from the beginning does not mean that more work cannot be done.
According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), one in six American women are victims of attempted or completed sexual assault, with females aged 16-19 years old being three times more likely to be assaulted than the general population.
According to Charlie Health, 53% of women experience sexual violence during their lives. And while trauma from sexual assault already affects approximately 33% of women in the U.S., 81% of women have also reported being sexually harrassed at some point in their life according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC).
In addition, the National Domestic Violence Hotline says that one in four women experience some type of domestic violence by the hands of a partner, either physical, emotional or sexual.
While our society has continued to become more tolerant of speaking out against these atrocious acts, there still continues to be those who discredit and berate victims of sexual harassment and assault.
Even in 2025, women are hurt for speaking out – not just in America, but worldwide.
Recent news broadcasting has shed light to the revoking of women’s civil liberties in countries like Afghanistan, where women today have less rights than their grandmothers.
Even in “free” countries, there are still people who choose to call victims names such as “liars” and “attention-seekers,” simply because sexual harassment is deemed to be “normal” in today’s world.
The fact of the matter is that there is nothing normal about sexual assault and harrassment.
There is nothing normal about being discriminated against in the workplace, which four in ten women have reported being a personal experience of theirs, according to the Pew Research Center.
There is nothing normal about questioning your worth because of your gender.
But this modern-day fight isn’t one just being started. The original fight for women’s suffrage simply never ended, thanks to generations of women who have continued to use their voice and advocate.
Today, strong and influential women such as Michelle Obama, Greta Thunberg, Claudia Sheinbaum, Amanda Gorman and so many other capable women shine as activists, politicians, lawyers, scientists, teachers and so much more that all have one thing in common- the ability to lead.
It is because of courageous women like them, like us, like you, that women today still continue to have a voice that is loud enough to be heard.
So, while we recognize the strong women that have helped the girls of this generation thrive, we must interpret Women’s History Month as a call to continue fighting for what women have worked so hard to earn in the past.