Photo credits: Lara Ingber
As you may know, March is Women’s History Month! Women’s History Month is a time to celebrate women, both past and present. March 8 is also International Women’s Day. According to History.com, the 2022 theme is “Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope.” Here are some ways to celebrate Women’s History Month.
Read: Read a book by a famous woman (or a not-as-famous woman) to get her perspective. You can also read blogs, essays or even social media posts to learn more. Check out the article on Penguin Random House for their Women’s History Month reading challenge! They have a mix of books like classics, superheroes, fiction and much more.
Remember: Learn about the different women who paved the way for women all over the world. Everyone knows famous women like Harriet Tubman or Rosie the Riveter, but how many people have heard of Sybil Ludington? Hedy Lamarr? Learning about these women can help you appreciate the contributions made to society by women everywhere.
Travel: There are many places locally to which you can travel to celebrate Women’s History Month. In Philly specifically, you can visit the Betsy Ross house or do the “Beyond the Bell” tour, which focuses on women who changed Philadelphia.
Visit: While on campus, check out the Center for Women and Gender Equity (CWGE). They are located in the Lawrence Center, Room 214. You can also follow them on social media: @wcu_cwge on Instagram. The CWGE mission statement is, “The Center for Women and Gender Equity actively promotes and advocates for a campus community that values the safety, equality and intellectual advancement of women and other historically marginalized groups.”
Volunteer: One of the best ways to help women is to volunteer for a nonprofit that helps women. For example, there are a few places in Chester County that help women like Wings for Success, The Fund for Women and Girls and Unite for Her.
Ask: It’s important to remember that not everyone who may appear to identify as a woman does. Therefore, make sure you ask someone’s pronouns before referring to them. If you use the wrong pronouns, apologize. You can also ask a friend who identifies as a woman what else you can do to help, or even ask how they are doing!
Share: If you see a post on Instagram about the struggles of women, or about Women’s History Month, share it (if you feel comfortable). This is a great way to advocate for women and to learn more about our history.
Teach: With your newly-gained knowledge about Women’s History Month, teach someone else what you know!
Thank you for taking the time to read about Women’s History Month. There is still so much work to be done to reach gender equality in the world, especially in the United States. I hope you leave inspired to make a difference during Women’s History Month. Which action step are you going to take today?
Hally Everett is a fifth-year Media & Culture major with minors in Entrepreneurship and Health Sciences. HE885418@wcupa.edu