Stories Don't Stop
March is almost over, and we all know what that means.
We’re done. Finished.
We came, we saw, we hashtagged WomensHistoryMonth and now we can retreat to our feminist lairs, cackling and dreaming of government-subsidized maternity leave and free tampons. Until March 2019, that is, when the next Women’s History Month rolls around. When it comes to celebrating the lives and contributions of over half the world’s population, 31 days is all we need.
But really, can you imagine a world where women and minority histories are so devalued that we are only allotted one month to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of an entire gender or race? (Side-eye).
The truth is, women’s stories don’t stop at the end of a month or after a hashtag. Women’s stories last. They continue to reverberate throughout history, leading reforms and sparking movements.
For women like those in the labor movement, standing up and detailing their vulnerability at the hands of factory owners led to widespread protests, walkouts, and legal reform. For women in the 1960s and ‘70s, sharing both their dissatisfaction with the status quo and expressing their need for bodily autonomy when it came to their health led to a sweeping social revolution.
We benefit from these women’s words and action every time we love who we choose, open a bank account in our own name, work an eight-hour work day, and make our own informed decisions about our health. We benefit because stories don’t just liberate the individuals sharing their experience; they liberate all of us.
Women’s History Month isn’t just a celebration of things that women have done in the past; it is a time to remember that women are often the driving force of social change and that we are making history now. Women of all ages are shaping the conversation when it comes to gun control, intersectionality, and creating a safe and more equitable society.
So, as Women’s History Month comes to a close, and converges this year with the start of Passover, we invite you to continue the spirit of Women’s History month by sharing your stories with JWA and with your family around the Seder table. Reflect on the importance of tradition with our Four Questions, or ask the women in your life about their moments of activism, their feelings on #MeToo, or, really, anything else!
As the month comes to a close, let’s look forward to the liberating power of stories and their ability to help us shape a more equitable and a more vibrant future, where many voices and perspectives are represented and where women’s stories are celebrated, all year round.
Visiting this website whenever I can can be inspiring and intimidating (how can I ever live up to these examples.... have I done enough...) , but in the end I am always refreshed, revved up to continue carving out my path as an American Jewish Woman..... Bless you all for this extraordinary endeavor. Dorothy Goldstone, Artistic Director, White Mountain Jewish Film Festival, and founder of The Jewish In Me Project, a writing workshop.