The month of March is dedicated to celebrating Women’s History. It is a time not only to celebrate but also to recognize the achievements and contributions of women throughout history. Today, it serves as both a celebration of progress and a reminder of the work that still has to be done.
For Liz Wilkinson, director of the Luann Dummer Center for Women, the significance of the month is deeply personal and historical, especially when reflecting on decades of change for women.
“What’s beautiful to me about International Women’s Day is that we see the arc…we see the change that’s happening,” Wilkinson said.
According to the International Women’s Day website, International Women’s Day dates back to Feb. 28, 1908, when the Socialist Party of America organized the first National Women’s Day in New York City to honor garment workers who protested unsafe working conditions and low wages. This early demonstration was part of a broader labor movement advocating for fair treatment of women in the workforce.
International Women’s Day became globally recognized in the years that followed, particularly after women in Russia protested for “bread and peace” in 1917, helping to solidify March 8 as the official date. Over time, the observance of this day expanded beyond labor rights to include broader issues of gender equality, representation and empowerment.
In the United States, the movement grew into a weeklong celebration in the late 1970s before officially becoming designated as Women’s History Month in 1987, according to History.com.
Wilkinson emphasized that while progress has been made, challenges remain.
According to the United Nations, women have 64% of the legal rights men have worldwide. Women are disadvantaged in many fundamental areas of life, such as work, pay, property and retirement.
“Women, by and large, are not going back…they’re not believing in a gender hierarchy,” Wilkinson said..
Wilkinson also emphasized the importance of historical awareness, noting that many rights we have today have come at a high cost. Early activists like Susan B. Anthony played a major role in the Women’s suffrage movement. Anothony endured arrests and violence throughout her fight, but ultimately changed the rights of women despite the abuse, according to Britannica.
“It makes me wish that everyone knew how big of a price people paid,” Wilkinson said.
That history continues to shape how younger generations understand womanhood today.
“To me, being a woman means strength, resilience and the courage to be unapologetically yourself,” sophomore Grace Conners said.
As the new generation of women continues to shape what womanhood looks like today, that strength is reflected in the challenges they overcome and the barriers they break.
“Every day, women push through barriers and challenge the boundaries placed in front of them … being a woman is about embracing who you are and refusing to shrink in spaces that once tried to exclude you; instead, dare to take up space,” Conners said.
For junior Emma Dill, International Women’s Day is both reflective and celebratory.
“I think International Women’s Day is a good reminder of everything women have had to overcome and how far we’ve come,” Dill said. “This day should be a reminder to celebrate what we have accomplished in history, and recognize all the women who have paved the way for us.”
Wilkinson said that recognition is key not just to honoring the past, but to shaping the future. Both students and leaders say the observance is about more than looking back, but also continuing the momentum forward.
“We’re standing on the shoulders of strong women upon strong women,” Wilkinson said
Bella Jacobs can be reached at jaco3737@stthomas.edu.
