March is Women's History Month

So why am I, an old man, writing about Women's History Month? Excellent question and after reading this you might have a small peek at the answer. 

In 1980, then-President Jimmy Carter designated March 8 as National Women's Week. Congress in 1987 designated the month of March, Women's History Month, and every president since has continued that designation. March 8 is also International Women's Day. Below is a little history of remarkable and influential women from the past and present. 

• Cleopatra (69 BC-30 BC) — The last Pharaoh of ancient Egypt, Cleopatra was known for her superior intelligence and the improvement of Egypt's economy and standing with the rest of the world.
• Sacagawea (1788-1812) — This Native American woman from the Shoshone nation served as interpreter and guide for the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Sacagawea is credited with making huge contributions to the success of the expedition.
• Nellie Bly (1864-1922) — An investigative journalist who refused to write the usual feminine articles on fashion, gardening, and cooking, instead, she tackled serious topics of mental health, poverty, and corruption in politics.
• Grace Hopper (1906-1992) — Earned her Ph.D. in mathematics and helped write the first computer languages.
• Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933-2020) — Ruth's career was highlighted by pivotal moments in U.S. history. She was the second female Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and the first Jewish woman appointed to the court. She stood up for gender equality and civil rights including the legalization of same-sex marriage.
• Lucille Ball (1911-1989) — An undeniable star of film and television's I Love Lucy, off screen Lucy was an extremely powerful figure. She was the first woman to own a major studio, Desilu Productions.
• Malala Yousafzai (1997- ) — In her early teens while fighting for girls' rights to an education in Pakistan, Malala survived an assassination attack. She has continued her fight and become a worldwide voice for young women. In 2014, she became the world's youngest Nobel Peace Prize recipient for her work.
• Maria Salomea-Sklodowska-Curie aka Marie Curie (1867-1934) — The scientific genius behind radioactivity and X-rays as we know them today. She was the first woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1903 and the first person to win the prize for a second time in 1911.
• Sally Ride (1951-2012) — In 1983 Sally became the first American woman to travel in space. She surpassed over 1000 applicants to earn a spot in NASA's Astronaut Program.
• Barbara Walters (1929-2022) — Became the first female co-anchor of a network evening news program. She paved the way for advancing women in journalism.
• Sarah Thomas (1973- ) — Sarah became the first full-time female NFL official in 2015. She also was the first female on field official in playoff history and the first female to officiate in a Super Bowl.
• Junko Tabei (1939-2016) — In 1975, Junko became the first woman to summit Mount Everest. In 1992 she was the first woman to reach the Seven Summits, the highest peak on all seven continents.
• Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962) — She changed the role of First Lady. Eleanor advocated for human rights, women's rights, and children's causes. She went on to chair the U.N.'s Human Rights Commission.
• Taylor Swift (1989- ) — Nominated for over 500 awards Taylor has won 324. She has written or co-written every song in her discography with the exception of several cover songs. She has a massive following of all ages and works hard to inspire young women.

This is my shout-out to all the women in the fire service. When I started my firefighting career of 30 years, we had two female on-the-line firefighters. Today I have lost count of the number and the positions they hold— all the way to chief.

There is a long list of Influential women who are world leaders, in sports, entertainment, science, journalism, and more. Whether they are famous or your grandmother, mother, sister, wife, daughter, or co-worker, it doesn't matter. Women play a huge role in all our lives, in our communities, and in the world. They deserve the respect and equality that is their right. 

To learn more, go online to womenshistorymonth.gov and internationalwomensday.com.

Stephen Heisel is a Boundary County resident and member of the Boundary County Human Rights Task Force.