Women’s History Month is a time to celebrate women all over the world for their incredible strength and perseverance despite millenniums of marginalization. Over the past few centuries, feminism has grown stronger and resulted in many strides for women. From women’s suffrage to the first woman to run for president, women have fought for their rights and to this day, we continue our work to dispel misogyny in our patriarchal society.
But what about the women who have other marginalized identities to consider? For many years, women of color and LGBTQ+ or non-binary women have been erased from feminist movements. Even recently, it seems as if there is little space for women who have other marginalized identities. The American Women’s Suffragette Movement brought little attention to the voting rights of non-White women. One of the main criticisms of the Women’s Marches that occurred after the inauguration of President Trump was the lack of women in color. As a Black woman, my race and gender are both crucial components of my identity, and they are both often deemed inferior by society.
In the words of the extraordinary Sojourner Truth, “Aint I a Woman?”
While the third wave of feminism, which began in the 90s, did allow for WOC and queer women to have a voice, there is still a lot of room for progress.
This Women’s Month, we should celebrate ALL women. Women of different races, religions, sexual orientations and all. Even more important, we should celebrate the things are make us different. Black women, Asian women, Muslim women, White women, Hindu women, Latinx women, and trans women all deserve to be celebrated. By uplifting one another, we are making each other stronger, creating a unity that Women’s History Month is all about.