Women’s History Month – 2022

Today, women are more empowered than they have ever been in our country—and the world’s—history! And for good reason: In the U.S., women make up about 60% of all college students; world-wide, approximately 400 million women are entrepreneurs or lead well-established companies—a 114% increase over the last 20 years; and many of our country’s women lead important and impactful industries, such as nursing, teaching, child care, and the dental and medical fields respectively. 

 

While men may boast dominance in certain fields, for no other reason than such fields have long held onto poorly-established misogynistic ideologies, which are slowly but surely crumbling, women are assuredly rising in fields such as building trades (i.e. plumbers, carpenters, electrical workers), organizational leadership positions, and other male-dominated industries. Further, while women’s wages are still significantly behind those of their male counterparts (women make about 80 cents on the dollar compared to men), there is an immediate need for compensatory wages for similar work done by women and men alike.

 

About Women’s History Month

According to the Library of Congress (n.d.), “Women’s History Month had its origins as a national celebration in 1981 when Congress passed Pub. L. 97-28 which authorized and requested the President to proclaim the week beginning March 7, 1982 as ‘Women’s History Week.’ Throughout the next five years, Congress continued to pass joint resolutions designating a week in March as ‘Women’s History Week.’ In 1987 after being petitioned by the National Women’s History Project, Congress passed Pub. L. 100-9 which designated the month of March 1987 as ‘Women’s History Month.’ 

 

Between 1988 and 1994, Congress passed additional resolutions requesting and authorizing the President to proclaim March of each year as Women’s History Month. Since 1995, presidents have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as ‘Women’s History Month.’ These proclamations celebrate the contributions women have made to the United States and recognize the specific achievements women have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields” [web site].

 

Women Rise

Only a little over 100 years ago, women finally had the right to vote. Later, during World War II, women sacrificed their husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers, including their own time, efforts, and even lives. Women kept America running during this tumultuous time by volunteering 350,000 women to the military at home and abroad; and by stepping in and working the jobs their husbands left behind. When we think of Women’s History, we often consider some of the historical giants who have come before us, and some who are still with us, such as Harriet Tubman, Amelia Earhart, Betsy Ross, Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosie the Riveter, Maya Angelou, Kamala Harris, Mother Teresa, and so many other trailblazers, creators, and lovers of humanity.

 

The reality, however, is that all the women in our lives are special, worthy of honor, and respect. Regardless of how high men may rise, which accolades they receive, or which fields they may dominate, remember, all men were born of a woman. This is only one powerful testament to the uniqueness of a woman’s ability to carry, nurture, raise, and love her children; and in turn, we have grown up to become the adults who love them back. While men have risen high in the world, it was only due to the women in their lives who allowed it by suppressing their own ambitions—not for a lack of want or ability. But now it is their turn to rise. And they will.

 

In Unity,

AFGE TSA Council 100