ALYSSA BUMP
Editor in Chief
Every year, the month of March is nationally recognized as Women’s History Month by presidential proclamation.
But long before the official recognition of the celebration, Women’s History Month first started out as Women’s History Week in 1978. Similarly to Black History Month, the origin of the celebration was first a week long.
It took several years before Women’s History Month was both nationally recognized and a month long. According to womenshistory.org, “President Jimmy Carter issued the first Presidential Proclamation declaring the Week of March 8, 1980 as National Women’s History Week. Subsequent presidents continued to proclaim a National Women’s History Week in March until 1987 when Congress passed Public Law 100-9, designating March as ‘Women’s History Month.’”
It wasn’t until 1995 and beyond when “each president has issued an annual proclamation designating the month of March as ‘Women’s History Month,’” according to the site.
But with all that aside, how can SUNY Fredonia students get involved with the celebration and recognition of women’s history?
Taylor Taggart, a senior psychology major with a minor in criminal justice, serves as the secretary of Fredonia Feminists. This campus club’s mission is to “promote feelings of pride and unity among students of all genders on campus through feminist activism,” according to Taggart.
The Fredonia Feminists have planned several fun events and activities for people across campus to participate in. The first Saturday of the month, the club hosted a woman-led self defense lesson by Lina Khalifeh in the Multi-Purpose Room (MPR) of the Williams Center.
“[Khalifeh] set up the first self defense studio for women in the Middle East,” said Taggart. The activist is also the founder of SheFighter. According to vitalvoices.org, SheFighter’s mission is to “empower women physically, mentally and emotionally through self defense training.”
On March 10, the Fredonia Feminists are hosting “Femmes to the Front,” which is an event meant to promote female musicians on campus. Some Like it Hot and The Riveters, two female music groups at SUNY Fredonia, will be performing at 7 p.m. in the MPR of the Williams Center.
A pop-up shop fundraiser will be hosted in collaboration with Sister Circle, another campus club that focuses on the empowerment of women, on March 27. In the MPR of the Williams Center, women-led small businesses like Creations with Clare and Young Maronnaise will be selling their products from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
“A total of 5% of the profits will go towards Ujima: The National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community. We’re also working out the details for a guest speaker to come in,” said Taggart.
The president of Sister Circle, Desteny Barnard, a senior criminal justice and political science major, said “I am so excited to be able to work with [the Fredonia Feminists] in highlighting some of the creative and dedicated women right here in Fredonia.”
Sister Circle’s mission is to “provide an open and safe environment where students are able to speak on relevant issues that affect women of all ethnic backgrounds,” according to Barnard.
Their club is dedicating two of their e-board meetings to educating attendees on the importance of women’s history. Their first meeting of the month, which was held on March 7, served to inform attendees about women’s influence in fashion. “Our last general body meeting of the month will discuss the harmful effects of stereotypes of womanhood and how they reflect our meaning of what being a woman is,” said Barnard. That meeting will be held on March 28 at 8 p.m. in the Williams Center, room 204A.
Past the month of March, Sister Circle will be collaborating with the Fredonia student clubs Black Student Union and Brother 2 Brother for their annual talent show on April 2.
Taggart feels Women’s History Month is important to celebrate because “providing young women with a variety of figures who excel in their passions can really make a difference in how they view both the world and themselves. Additionally, it challenges the misogyny our mainstream history is steeped in.”
Barnard said, “Women’s History Month is about celebrating the contribution that women have provided for us. It also reminds us of the struggle to fight for the rights we have today… For example, every weekday we attend class — a liberty we would not have without Catherine Brewer, the first woman to receive her bachelor’s degree and later her Ph.D. Furthermore, every time we are able to make decisions on our sexual health we can thank Margaret Sanger who started the first birth control clinic in my hometown of Brooklyn.”
Taggart advises others to “read feminist literature, support female creators, keep up to date on current policies that target women” past the month of March. She continued, “Even just listening to a variety of women’s perspectives and keeping them in mind when going through day to day life can make the small difference that matters.”
Barnard said, “If you want to better educate yourself, you can start by attending meetings and events run by women empowerment clubs and organizations. You can further educate yourself by reading and researching how far women have come… you can support small women-owned businesses right here in Fredonia.”
Sister Circle holds general body meetings every Monday at 8 p.m. in the Williams Center, room 204A. Follow @sistercirclefred on Instagram for further information regarding their club.
The Fredonia Feminists hold their general body meetings on Thursdays at 8 p.m. in the Williams Center, room G103B. Follow @fredoniafeminists on Instagram for updates regarding their club.