In case you didn’t know, March is Women’s History Month— a time to honor, commemorate, and amplify the voices and history of women and non-binary individuals and the integral contributions they have made to society, politics, and culture.
By the 1970s, women’s history was still almost entirely omitted from school curriculums in the United States. Addressing this issue, the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women in California initiated a “Women’s History Week” celebration in 1978.
Similar celebrations within other organizations and communities began to emerge shortly after, leading to a movement to secure a National Women’s History Week.
In response to lobbying efforts across the United States, in February of 1980 President Carter declared the week of March 8, 1980 to be National Women’s History Week (which coincides with International Women’s Day, which was declared to be annually on March 8 by the United Nations in 1975), and shortly after representatives sponsored a Congressional Resolution for Women’s History Week 1981. It wasn’t until 1987 that the entire month of March was designated as Women’s History Month by Congress.
If you are a Penn State student and wondering how you can get involved this year, look no further! There are many opportunities on campus to celebrate, educate yourself on and advocate for the rights of and women and non-binary people:
- Women and queer night at the bike den
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Women and Queer Bike Night is March 2, 6 — 8 p.m. at the West Parking Deck (level one facing the Leonhard Building) and is open to students, faculty and local community members.
This is an opportunity for attendees to work on bikes and talk to Bike Den staff and volunteers and allows underrepresented groups to meet other cyclists and bike mechanics. All experience levels are welcome. There will also be free pizza!
More information can be found here.
- Ungendering Expectations with the college of health and human development
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The Office for Diversity and Inclusion for the College of Health and Human Development will be hosting a workshop with the Gender Equity Center on Tuesday, March 21 at 6 p.m. in Henderson 110.
The goal of the workshop is to explore and identify gender stereotypes, as well as gender norms, the consequences of failing to abide by them and how they influence problematic behaviors which exclude women from STEM fields and leadership positions. The workshop will also include the teaching of bystander intervention techniques to promote equity and inclusion.
- Explore and connect: Gender equity center bus trip to washington, d.c.
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On Friday, March 24, the Gender Equity Center is hosting a day trip to Washington, D.C. to learn more about women’s history and career options in gender equity and inclusion. Students will also be able to connect and network with PSU alumni and people currently working in gender equity related professions.
The bus will depart from the Pollock entrance at the HUB-Robeson Center at 6 a.m. and will return at 11:30 p.m. Students can register by March 14 and a $20 deposit is required to reserve your spot, which will be refunded to you upon boarding the bus.
More information and the registration form can be found here.
- “see no stranger” book discussion
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The Gender Equity Center will be hosting a discussion of Valarie Kaur’s memoir “See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love” on Tuesday, March 28, in the Foster Auditorium.
The book is a 2021 Dayton Peace Prize Finalist, and in it Kaur discusses her own journey as a young brown girl growing up in California, her work as a law student fighting against injustice in American prisons and Guantanamo Bay, her activist work alongside marginalized communities combatting xenophobia and her own experiences with police violence and sexual assault.
Individuals who register will be able to receive a free copy of the book. More information and the registration form can be found here.
- D’Manda Martini: Women’s History Month Keynote with the center for sexual and gender diversity
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Drag performer, cosplayer and theater artist D’Manda Martini will be a Women’s History Month Keynote speaker in a moderated discussion about queer folks in cosplay, consent and boundaries.
This event will take place on Thursday, March 30 from 5:30 — 7:30 p.m. in the HUB-Robeson Center 233.
- Women’s empowerment resource station
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On Monday, March 13 from 12 — 4 p.m., the University Park Undergraduate Association will have a Women’s Empowerment Resource table set up at the HUB. Stop by to learn about university resources related to women’s health and advocacy.
- art and advocacy: Women’s leadership painting night
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On Wednesday, March 15 at 5 p.m. in the Flex Theater, students will have the opportunity to engage with both student and staff leadership in discussions about women’s empowerment while painting portraits of famous female activists.
- women’s empowerment day of advocacy
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On Friday, March 17 from 4 — 7 p.m. in the Flex Theater the University Park Undergraduate Association will host a social justice involvement fair centered around women’s resources and other related issues. Free creamery ice cream will also be provided.
- Wikipedia Editathon focused on Native American women activists and environmentalists
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“Editathons” are events intended to improve the information available on a specific topic. From March 20 through April 23, Penn State University Libraries will host a virtual Wikipedia “Editathon” centered around Native American women activists and environmentalists.
All are welcome, and experienced editors will be available to answer any questions.
More information can be found here.
- Native American Wikipedia Edit-a-thon speaker Nicky Day Michael
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On Wednesday, March 29 from 11:15 a.m. — 12:05 p.m., Nicky Day Michael will be giving a talk in the Foster Auditorium.
Michael chairs the Lenapeowsi Foundation, is in her second term of the Delaware Tribal Council and is serving her third term as an elected leader of the Delaware Tribe. She has taught Indigenous and American Indian Studies for over ten years.
- Penn State university library resources and digital collections
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Penn State University Libraries will be offering resources and digital collections throughout March:
PSU Women’s Athletics and Title IX: The Successes and Struggles for Equal Access: This collection documents the history of Penn State’s women’s athletic teams and their successes since the emergence of Title IX in 1972.
Alice Marshall Women’s History Collection: This collection is comprised of literary and graphic materials centered around the issues and individuals that made up women’s history from the 15th century to the 1980s.
Women’s Suffrage Collection: This collection focuses on the history of the women’s rights and women’s suffrage movements in Pennsylvania. It is comprised of booklets, fliers, political cartoons, fliers and pamphlets documenting the work of organizations such as the Pennsylvania Woman Suffrage Association and the National League of Woman Voters.
A Few Good Women Oral History Collection: This collection is comprised of oral history interviews and papers from the project initiated by Barbara Hackman Franklin in 1995 titled “A Few Good Women: Advancing the cause for Women in Government, 1969-1974.”
Black Women’s Organizing Archive: Students, faculty and staff based at the Center for Black Digital Research at Penn State organized this collection that compiles archives from 19th and 20th century Black women intellectuals, artists and activists.
- Burn Bright: women and non-binary night
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This event will take place after Women’s History Month has ended, but you should still be marking your calendars: Penn State Centre Stage will be performing Morgan Lloyd Malcolm’s 2018 play “Emilia” this April in the Pavilion Theatre.
The show is inspired by the life 17th century poet Emilia Bassano, her speculated role as the subject of William Shakespeare’s “Dark Lady” sonnets and how her story has been erased from history. This feminist play focuses on centering and lifting up the voices of women and non-binary people and features an entirely non-male cast.
Subsidized tickets can be purchased for the performance on April 19 at 7:30 p.m. for $10, and following the show there will be a talkback with the cast and production team.
This event is sponsored by the University Park Undergraduate Association, Penn State Centre Stage and the College of Arts and Architecture. Tickets can be purchased here or by calling 814-863-0255.
Women and non-binary individuals deserve to be heard and celebrated no matter what time of year it is, and I hope that this month you take the time to celebrate and educate yourself on the brilliant women who have shaped the world we live in.