While Villanova University practices holistic admissions today, women were not officially admitted to academic classrooms or included in campus athletic programs until 1968. This is merely one of the examples of the ingrained misogyny and systemic gender oppression in society.
Unfortunately, the education of women’s history has remained traditional in the United States, often emphasizing stereotypical notions of femininity and focusing on the experiences of white women. As a result, the narratives of unconventional feminine figures are forgotten and femininity is confined to stronger stereotypes, causing a capitalized divide amongst social identities.
This is what America’s oppressive patriarchy is trying to achieve–communal fragmentation. Women’s History Month is more than a celebration of the long advocacy for women’s equality; it is about the intersectionality of women of color, the support of transgender women and feminine-presenting gender minorities, demanding access to life-saving women’s healthcare and gender-affirming care, and the daily acts of resistance against a paternalistic society.
Similar to Black History Month, Women’s History Month began as a week-long celebration in California in 1978. This designated week in March was supposed to be a continuation of International Women’s Day, which became Women’s History Week in 1980 under President Jimmy Carter. Though several resolutions were passed following 1980, it was not until 1995 that Women’s History Month became nationally recognized. Women’s History Month was not acknowledged by the U.S. government until ten years before I was born.
The Trump Administration is equating feminine individuals with monetary value. I must mention that this bipartisan issue is nothing new; both parties have practiced this since the founding of the United States. However, since January 20, awareness of this problem has become increasingly apparent to the public eye. In recent reports, the Trump administration has cut federal funding to any institution that incorporates an inclusive Diversity, Equity and Inclusion framework (DEI). In response, Women’s History Month has been erased from several companies’ recognition, including Google Calendar. Additionally, several large technological corporations rely on DEI programs for female hiring. Without a DEI framework, women face a stifling of opportunities in both education and the workplace.
This reinforces a system where women are unrecognized, but furthermore, stuck in a position that makes it impossible for them to ever be recognized. A very similar timeline occurred during Reconstruction, as southern cities rebuilt natural resources away from Black neighborhoods. Black women often relied on running water for their jobs, condemning them to poor health and an impoverished life. Because social status was connected to wealth, Black people were systemically viewed as inferior.
The President has switched to officially only recognizing two genders in government, shadowing early American gender ideology. The cult of domesticity, a doctrine declaring genders “separate but equal” spread across the U.S. in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It confined women to the home, further stereotyping them as “nurturing,” reproductive homemakers and restricting their personal autonomy. The cult of domesticity sought to force the population to strictly adhere to a traditional definition of femininity, excluding gender non-conforming individuals and those who did not live accordingly.
The same rhetoric is being used today, forcing women to adhere to a specific gender ideology while excluding other gender identities. According to the official White House website, “[The Trump] administration will defend women’s rights and protect freedom of conscience by using clear and accurate language and policies that recognize women are biologically female, and men are biologically male.” Trump is fear-mongering people to believe that women need male protection. Why is the federal government allowed to define femininity? Is the United States a truly “free” country if women are forced to adhere to a patriarchal system? How is a man (and moreover, a sex offender) trusted to “safeguard” women’s equality?
The pillars of Women’s History Month should be honored every day. As the current administration erases Women’s History Month and gender equality only increases, it is essential for us to remain in tight solidarity with one another. After all, injustice presents an opportunity for resistance. While political leaders can eliminate our memory, equality and accessibility, they can never eliminate us.
