March 14, 2024/Midnight
Erie, PA. – March marks the arrival of Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate and honor the remarkable women who have shaped history. This occasion recognizes the heroines who have dedicated their lives to serving their communities and transforming society.
Women’s history month began in the 1980’s, when President Jimmy Carter issued a presidential decree that the week of March 8th would celebrate women, as National Women’s History Week. History.com states, “The U.S. Congress followed suit the next year, passing a resolution setting up a national celebration. Six years later, the National Women’s History Project successfully petitioned Congress to expand the event to the entire month of March.”
Throughout history, countless women have shattered gender barriers, reshaped society, and proven that their strength and capabilities rival those of men. They fought for the legal rights of women, and that society accept women as equals.
One of the most prominent examples of a woman breaking long-held gender barriers is Marie Curie. She made history as the first female scientist to win the Nobel Prize, and is the only person to win in two different fields: Physics and Chemistry. Her discovery of the elements polonium and radium not only laid the foundation of modern nuclear physics but also paved the way for life-saving radiation treatments for cancer patients.
Rosa Parks, another trailblazer in history, sparked a powerful movement with her refusal to give up her seat to a white person. Her calm actions sent a bold message, calling for equality, justice, and an end to racial discrimination. She became a leader of the 1950s Civil Rights Movement, and spent the rest of her life for working in advocacy. Rosa fought not just for women, but for all people.
Nowadays, while women in many countries have gained significant strides in securing their places in society, the fight for gender equality continues in many parts of the globe. One key figure in this period is Malala Yousafzai, a female activist for girls right to an education.
Malala survived in an assassination attempt by a terrorist organizations, the Taliban, for her advocacy in girl’s education. Despite being shot in the head, she survived and continued to fight for the right of girls in Pakistan to attend school, as well as other countries where gender discriminations still exist. Thanks to her organization the Malala Fund, thousands of girls around the world are able to go to school.
These are examples of women who have made remarkable contributions to society. But what about the quiet ones? The mothers, the unsung heroines in the lives of individuals everywhere.
These women spend their lives for raising and caring for children, the future of society. Mothers contribute to the community through their love, sacrifice, compassion, and patience.
March is a month to remember women who have made significant contribution to both women’s rights and humanity. But don’t forget Mothers, the everyday heroes. Their contributions might seem small, but their actions are changing society every single day.
