National Women's History Month should be renamed

With an increasing number of groups using the month of March not only to teach about women who have contributed to the historical development of the United States but also to our country's current and future development, National Women's History Month has really become National Women's Recognition Month (h/t to a commenter who mentioned this phrase on The Confluence). If we lived in a fully equitable and fair country, we would not have the need to set aside a single month in which to note women's contributions - noting women's contributions would be as commonplace as noting men's. We don't live in that society yet. So, as with all contemporary social justice and civil rights movements it is essential that we each and all use National Women's Month as an opportunity to remind ourselves and others that the fight for the full recognition of women as equal citizens continues.

For 2009, The National Women's History Project has honored many women who will be remembered by history but who are working now in myriad ways that deserve recognition. Learn about the honorees here.  The 2009 theme is Women Taking the Lead to Save Our Planet, and I personally was pleased to see that once again Hillary Rodham Clinton's name appears among a long list of other women:

"Hillary Rodham Clinton
b. 1947
Secretary of State
New York     USA
While serving in the United States Senate, Senator Clinton worked to secure federal legislation to protect the environment both on the Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee and as the senior Democrat on the Fisheries, Wildlife and Water subcommittee. She co-sponsored the Petroleum Consumer Price Gouging Protection Act and Close the Enron Loophole Act to enable the President to declare an energy emergency and trigger federal gouging protections. http://www.ontheissues.org/hillary_clinton.htm#Environment
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Hillary_Rodham_Clinton"

But as pleasing as it is to me to see Secretary of State Clinton recognized for actions she took serving in the Senate, the entire list of women honored and their respective accomplishments make me proud.

I have repeatedly stated that my desire to see Hillary Rodham Clinton elected president was not rooted in the fact that she is a woman; but that the way she and her supporters were treated because she is a woman has galvanized me to do whatever I can to see that women's emancipation becomes a reality. Whenever I read the lists of what women have accomplished, I realize how important it is that we create a world in which the deck is not stacked against women - imagine how much more might get accomplished.

Comments

[Mirlo]

Do some men fear strong women so much because many women do work diffently, more socially and environmentally responsible?

I don't want to generalize, but there may be a pattern that makes it so necessary for misogyny and sexism to raise it's ugly head so blatantly when 2 strong women are in the playing field.

[democraticjack]

God knows the odds are stacked against all women, not just the strong. The failure to sustain and nurture the weakest, much less the strongest, is one of our greatest failings and not just by men. That's what history has taught us; to learn; to correct; to move on.

[vb]

Hi Heidi,

Great post. Thank you for all the research and work you do on behalf of all women!

[luckee8]

I like this idea Heidi