Me and Women’s History Month: It’s Complicated

Let’s cut right to the chase: I have a complicated relationship with the concepts of Women's History Month and International Women's Day.

We operate in a system that dichotomizes the past in order to reflect a narrative that those in power need to move their agendas forward. The idea of history itself is inherently flawed, because it relies on human recall—which is also inherently flawed. We remember what is important to us, and what shapes and impacts our lived experiences.

So it makes sense that, in a patriarchal society, what is considered "American history" is dominated by—and some might even say wholly reflective of—the memory and lived experience of those in the dominant caste in America.

We can't begin to do the hard work of seeing women, Black Americans, Asian Americans, transgender individuals, and other minority groups as deserving of respect, value, and power until we recognize their impact in the past as equal and deserving of respect, value, and power.

We also can't begin to make change without starting with the most marginalized and working our way up—not the other way around.

We as women are in a vulnerable but powerful position to lead this charge. Our stories are so incredibly powerful; our ability to continue to tell the stories of how incredible women were (and are!), and how they shaped the world around us, is imperative to keeping those memories alive.

As the mother of two biracial daughters, one of the main topics of conversation in our home is the impact women and Black people have made in shaping this country. I'm not worried about them learning the rest. I'm worried about them not learning the truth—or learning only half the story.

Let this day and this month be a loud reminder to recognize we were only taught half the story.