March is Women’s History Month.
Women’s History Month has been observed since 1987 to honor the often-overlooked achievements of women over the course of American history. The theme for this year is “Providing Healing, Promoting Hope.” According to the National Women’s History Alliance, this year’s theme is “both a tribute to the ceaseless work of caregivers and frontline workers during this ongoing pandemic and also a recognition of the thousands of ways that women of all cultures have provided both healing and hope throughout history.”
The National Women’s History Alliance is encouraging communities to recognize local women who have acted as healers and caregivers, who are helping to promote and sustain hope for the future. At this time, we at 21st Century EAP would like to take a moment to acknowledge all the wonderful women in our EAP community who, particularly over the course of the last two years, have worked tirelessly to navigate all the ongoing challenges life has thrown at us. We honor and thank you for all that you do for your families, for your communities, and for the hard work and dedication to your careers.
Equality
Over the course of the last decade, we know that women have increased their earnings, education levels, fields of occupation and according to the US Census Bureau, continue to have longer life spans than men. Other statistics from the US Census Bureau can be found here: https://www.census.gov/newsroom/facts-for-features/2022/womens-history-month.html. We know that barriers still exist and that even though women outnumber men and also live longer, the gender wage gap widens with age and that the disparities deepen when considering race along with gender. Black and Hispanic women earn significantly less not just when compared to men, but when also compared to white women. Equal Pay Day is March 15th, 2022. which symbolizes “how far women must work into the year to earn what men earned in the previous year.” More information can be found at https://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/equal-pay-day.html It’s estimated that it will take 40 years to close the pay gap and even longer when you factor in the race.
Resources:
Additional Women’s History Month resources and activities can be found here:
- https://www.pump.org/womens-history-month-in-pittsburgh-2022/
- https://www.wqed.org/womenshistory
- https://www.womenshistorymonth.gov/
- https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/womens-history-month.htm
We encourage you to take the time to learn more about the many contributions women have made in society and culture, both locally and globally.
Upcoming Workshops
In the coming months, 21st Century EAP will be offering a series of lunch and learn workshops dedicated to addressing the unique challenges women face in the workplace across the lifespan.
