Every March, the United States celebrates the achievements of women who have shaped history, despite the fact that many of these contributions went overlooked for decades. Originating from a 1978 local “Women’s History Week” in California, the observance expanded into a national celebration to ensure that women’s history continues to be studied and recognized. March was chosen to align with International Women’s Day on March 8th, further emphasizing global recognition of women’s contributions.
Biology teacher Ms. Walters emphasizes the importance of this month, explaining that it is “a time to recognize all the amazing things that women have done in our population.” Yet, throughout history, women have often been overlooked across many areas, and this month serves as a reminder of both the progress made towards gender equality and the challenges that persist.
Despite this progress, women continue to face barriers in their daily lives. They remain underrepresented in leadership positions and STEM careers, as women make up roughly 27-28% of the STEM workforce globally, according to Econofact. In addition, many women still experience wage disparities, earning approximately 81-84 cents for every dollar earned by men, as reported by the Pew Research Center. These ongoing issues highlight why continued advocacy and awareness are imperative.
Each year, a different theme is chosen to highlight different areas in which women have impacted the world, and the National Women’s History Alliance has announced that the theme for 2026 is “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future.” This theme highlights the growing role that women play in addressing global issues, including climate change, public health, and environmental sustainability. Women around the world are searching for and leading innovative solutions that strive to create a more equitable and sustainable world.
Women have long been disregarded, particularly in fields like science, often losing credit to men for their essential roles. However, “we’re starting to recognize how awesome their contributions have been,” Ms. Walters explains. For example, mathematician Katherine Johnson, who played a crucial role in calculating flight paths for NASA’s space missions, had her work disrespected because of her race and gender. Similarly, Rosalind Franklin’s X-ray diffraction images were essential in discovering the double-helix pattern of DNA; however, she did not receive equal credit alongside her male counterparts, Watson and Crick, who won a Nobel Prize, while she was noted as supporting data.
Women’s contributions also extend far beyond science, as they have also shaped politics, literature, and global activism through figures like Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who fought for gender equality under the law, Malala Yousafzai, who continues to advocate for girls’ access to education worldwide, and Greta Thunberg, who leads global climate strikes and actively speaks against global leaders.
“[Women are] adding to the field and it’s a really exciting time,” says Ms. Walters, for not just the scientific community, but also society as a whole. Women’s History Month represents the progress women have made and the progress that needs to be made for women. While society has made significant strides in recognizing the achievements of women, a continued effort is needed to ensure changes continue to be made and ensure equality in all fields.
