By Carley Crain
@carley_crain12
Women’s History Month – which was first implemented in 1980 by President Jimmy Carter – is celebrated throughout March. The intentions behind this were to celebrate and acknowledge the impact women have made on society. At a historic time in American society, when women’s rights are under attack, commemorating and appreciating women has never been more critical.
At Springfield College, the Women of Power club (WOP) is hosting a series of events during March to honor women. On Monday, March 6, the club will hold its second annual Women’s March. The march will be similar to last year’s, which featured numerous speakers and members of the campus community coming together and holding up homemade posters. Club members and anyone else who is interested are encouraged to create their own posters with messages that are meaningful to them.
Some powerful posters made last year included quotes like “My uterus, my rules,” “Gender bias has got to go!” and “Women’s history is your history!”
Two days later, on International Women’s Day, WOP – along with the DEI Office – will host its eighth annual Women’s Tea event.
It’s no coincidence that the Women’s Tea is held on International Women’s Day (IWD) – a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Inspired by the women’s suffrage movement that started in New Zealand and continued in labor movements in North America and Europe. The earliest version of IWD was believed to be organized by the Socialist Party of America in New York City in 1909. Since then, March 8 has been recognized as International Women’s Day.
The theme for this year’s Women’s Tea is “Strength in Sisterhood,” which encompasses the importance of community during a time when women’s rights have been targeted like never before. Specifically, the main focus of feminists recently has been protecting bodily autonomy. The overturning of Roe vs. Wade sparked a nationwide movement, which has been led mainly by women, just like the early suffragettes.
The fight against the patriarchy carries on. and instead has evolved into advocating for different issues, like abortion.
WOP is having a second event on March 6 as well, a women’s forum, and will be co-hosting it with Student Society for Bridging Diversity and Men of Excellence. The forum will be held in Dodge A & B at 6 p.m., and “is tailored to women but is open to all genders,” explained WOP board member Devon Rosier in a club-wide email. WOP is also collecting sanitary products throughout March, which is a drive they have been doing for the past few years.
Women’s History Month doesn’t just celebrate people who are women, it also includes non-binary individuals, transgender people, and everyone with a uterus. Inclusivity when it comes to Women’s History Month has been at the forefront of this year’s celebrations, especially at Springfield College.
Photo Courtesy Springfield College