In March, we celebrate Womxn’s History Month, and on March 8th, we get the chance to celebrate International Womxn’s Day. During this time, we get a chance to unearth and celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of womxn* throughout history and today. All over the country, students will be learning about Alice Paul, Susan B. Anthony, Gloria Steinem, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Virginia Wolf, and Emily Dickens.
If you are lucky, maybe you will learn about Angela Davis, Toni Morrison, Harriet Tubman, or Ida B. Wells. Most likely you will never learn of Dolores Huerta, Sojourner Truth, Fanny Lou Hammer, Luisa Moreno, Celestina Cordero, Mary Jones, Lili Elbe, Lucy Hicks Anderson, Tarana Burke, Susan La Flesche Picotte, Elizabeth Wannamaker Peratrovich, or the many other womxn at the intersection of race, gender, sexual orientation, poverty, and other markers of marginalization.
Too often this month is monopolized to share the stories, the narratives, and the experiences of white women, as the universal representation of our achievements and collective struggle. Creating a monolith and whitewashing a community, that is nuanced and diverse. Intentionally erasing our history, struggles, and accomplishments that are rooted in our difference.
Today, we center and celebrate the experiences of womxn of color, trans womxn of color, queer womxn of color, and all the other womxn at the intersections of marginalized identities. The listicle below is a compilation of articles to help you learn about the womxn of color you were never taught about.
- 8 Women of Color on Whether Women’s History Month Matters By: Mekita Rivas – Published: Bustle
- These Are the Women of Color Who Fought Both Sexism and the Racism of White Feminist By: Anne Branigin – Published: The Root
- 12 Trans women and non-binary activist you should have learned about in history classn By: Gabrielle Bellot – Published: Hello Giggles
- History of Chicana Feminism Published: University of Michigan
- Remembering Alexa, A Transgender Puerto Rican Woman Whose Tragic Story We All Learn From By: Jhoni Jackson – Published: Remezcla
- A Chat with Natalie Diaz Ahead of the Release of Her Long-Awaited Poetry Collection ‘Postcolonial Love Poem’ By: Claire Jimenez – Published: Remezcla
- Herstory: The Latinx Women Who Changed the Course of History By: Various Authors – Published: Remezcla
- 4 Asian American Women who Changed History By: Katherine Oung – Published: Teen Vogue
- Tarana Burke Founder of the ‘Me Too’ Movement
- Published: National Women’s History Museum
- Influential Black Women – Photo Essay
- Published: Oxford African American Studies Center
Photo Descripton: Angela Davis speaking into a megaphone speaker.
RE·Imagine:
Imagine an educational culture where womxn and young girls learn about themselves and others as whole human beings, where the breadth of our experiences are recognized and honored.
Imagine creating a space where we can learn to see womxn, girls, and all people through the complexity of their identities and experiences. When the world gets hard and there is chaos, just sit still and imagine, what it could all be.
Is there a moment in Womxn’s History month we’ve missed? Let us know on Facebook or Instagram!
Thanks for reading!
Cristher & Your Friends at RE-Center
Here are the definitions of important words we used in the article
*Womxn: noun
Pronounced: wi-muhn-ex
Definition: A more inclusive, intersectional term that sheds light on the prejudice, discrimination, and institutional barriers faced by all identities that exist in opposition to misogyny, including women (trans and cisgender), femme/feminine-identifying genderqueer, and non-binary individuals.
By:#GirlGaze – Published: Twitter
