MARCH 2024
Women’s History Month presents an important opportunity for everyone to learn about and acknowledge the contributions and struggles of women. Women’s History Month affords the chance to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of women and the role they have played in shaping our world. Women’s History Month serves as a reminder that gender inequality is not just a women’s issue, but a societal issue that affects everyone. We all have a responsibility to be aware of the ways in which gender inequality manifests in our society and to work toward creating a more equitable world.
By empathizing with, or at the very least, educating ourselves about, the experiences of women and understanding the ways in which gender inequality affects their lives, We can become a better ally and advocate for gender equality.
Women’s History Month is a further opportunity to celebrate the women in your life who have made a significant impact on you. From your mother and grandmother to your daughter and her mother, and many, many friends and colleagues, women have played a vital role in shaping who we are today.
Taking the time to reflect on their accomplishments and the sacrifices they have made, is one small way we can express our gratitude and appreciation for their contributions. It is also important to recognize that Women’s History Month is not just about celebrating the achievements of individual women, but also about acknowledging the collective struggles and triumphs of women as a group.
Throughout history, women have fought for their rights and for a more equal society. From the suffrage movement to the ongoing battles for reproductive rights and equal pay, women have been at the forefront of many social and political struggles.
By highlighting these movements and the women who led them, this month offers us the opportunity for greater understanding of the ongoing fight for gender equality—as well as the great amount of work that still needs to be done.
Finally, Women’s History Month is a time to recognize that gender inequality affects all women differently, with women of color, transgender women, and women with disabilities facing unique challenges and discrimination.
And that is why the theme for Women’s History Month in 2024 is “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
The theme recognizes women who speak up and are leading change in their fields.
At our March Member Gathering we are excited to welcome Dr. Lisa Ross. Dr. Ross is a professor of social psychology at the College of Charleston. In addition to psychology classes, she teaches in the Women’s and Gender Studies program as well as the Environmental and Sustainability Studies program. Her primary research efforts have been how unpredictability beliefs and experiences relate to mental health.
Dr. Ross will be talking to us about important social justice issues that impact more than 50% of our population, yet get little attention due to taboos around discussing women’s health. She will discuss “period poverty” and provide an update on South Carolina legislation related to these issues, including the “pink tax”. Finally, she will tell us about the Lowcountry Period Pixies, a local nonprofit that provides supplies to a variety of schools and agencies.
For our Book Club Selection this month we invite participants to choose their own book to read relating to the theme. For our discussion, each person can tell the group about what they read and discuss the too often overlooked contributions women make to our culture and society.
This link is a great resource to find books that match this year’s theme …
https://www.prhspeakers.com/womens-history-month-2024-equity-diversity-and-inclusion
Here are some other ways you can immerse yourselves in local Women’s History …
https://allevents.in/charleston/womens-history-tour-at-the-joseph-manigault-house/200026157174226
March 8th specifically is International Women’s Day
Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women’s equality. Collectively we can all #InspireInclusion.
SECULAR HUMANISTS OF THE LOWCOUNTRY (SHL)
PO Box 32256 | Charleston SC 29417 | LowcountryHumanists.org | 843-212-6675
Secular Humanists of the Lowcountry is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization – EIN 57-1088657