Women's History Month

Source: Angela D. Coleman, from sisterhoodagenda.com.

By Emily Sulkey, GSP Blog Team Contributor

April 13, 2021

International Women’s Day falls on March 8 each year. In the early 1900s, several European nations recognized a range of dates in honor of Women’s Day, but around 1913-14, it was decided by the United Nations that March 8 would be internationally recognized. In 1908, the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) in the UK chose three colors that would be associated with the day. British suffragette Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence described the significance of the colors: “Purple… [...] It stands for the royal blood that flows in the veins of every suffragette, the instinct of freedom and dignity… White stands for purity in private and public life… Green is the colour of hope and the emblem of spring.” The color white, however, is seen as controversial by some, as it is perceived by some as being in regards to skin tone. The day is meant to recognize the struggles that women face in regards to inequality and oppression as well as honoring their contributions to society, and it falls within Women’s History Month (for the US, UK, and Australia).

Women around the world continue to fight for equality, but recent times have made this much more difficult. Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, domestic violence rates have reportedly risen. People across the world have been forced to stay inside their houses for much more time than usual, which has contributed to an increase in tension and disputes within households. Also, data from UN Women shows that women have been losing their jobs more often than men this past year, and as a result, about 47 million women worldwide now live on less than $1.90 a day. While men have reportedly been completing slightly more household chores since the onset of the pandemic, a staggering 59 percent of women have reported that they have been spending more time on domestic work. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke on the rise of violence against women, stating that, “The damage is incalculable and will resound down the decades, into future generations.” He also remarked on the absence of women among the highest levels of leadership.

One recent incident has captured attention worldwide: the tragic killing of London resident Sarah Everard. Officer Wayne Couzens was charged with her kidnapping and murder on the evening of March 3, 2021. She was walking home from a friend’s house late at night, and likely recognized that he was an officer and therefore trusted him. Her body was found 50 miles from where she went missing. Couzens has since been arrested and awaits his trial. During a vigil for Sarah, police forced their way into the protest and proceeded to shut it down while arresting several protestors, most of whom were women. Outrage has since broken out across the country as the Parliament is currently reviewing the “Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill,” which would grant officers additional powers to mediate and shut down protests. The bill’s committee stage has been delayed, so its progression is currently on hold.

This situation relates to another controversy, which is that incidents involving violence against white women tend to receive more attention than similar incidents involving women of color. In recent times, people have gathered to protest and make sure that women of color are recognized and shown the same respect as white women. This was seen after the killing of Breonna Taylor, a heartbreaking situation in which police officers broke into her apartment in Louisville, Kentucky--while she was asleep--under a no-knock search warrant, under the suspicion that her boyfriend was dealing drugs. Startled, her boyfriend, who was asleep next to her, armed himself and fired one shot in defense as he was unsure who was breaking in, and the police responded by discharging 32 rounds blindly, which ended up killing Breonna. This incident was a call for change, and Kentucky lawmakers have since decided to limit (but not ban) no-knock warrants.

Next March, I encourage you to make a difference: do some research on prominent women in history. Recognize and honor the struggles that your sisters, mothers, and other women in your life have faced. There is a long way to go before women achieve the rights and equal treatment that we deserve. We must continue to fight, and we are stronger together.