Have you appreciated the women and girls in your life yet this March just for being them? You better make sure you do before April because the month of March is National Women’s History Month! Starting in 1978 as a local, week-long appreciation of women in California, the celebration quickly spread throughout America. While Women’s History Week was recognized by many, it was not marked as a national event until 1980. President Jimmy Carter designated the week in March surrounding International Women’s Day as National Women’s History Week by a presidential proclamation. This week-long celebration of women in America lasted until 1987 when the entire month of March, not just a singular week, was recognized by law as National Women’s History Month.

While this month is acknowledged throughout America, as Pennsylvanians, we should recognize influential and important women to Pennsylvania’s history. Patti LaBelle, also known as the “Godmother of Soul,” was from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As both an actress and singer, LaBelle is commonly referred to as the queen of rock and soul music, best known for songs such as “Lady Marmalade” and “On My Own.” After becoming a solo artist in the late 1970s, LaBelle made sure to follow trends and continue to modernize her music as time went on, especially with the more urban and contemporary genres of the 1990s. Her work throughout the decades as a famous singer following music trends as best as possible let to the creation of her many popular singles and albums. These songs have since led to LaBelle being recognized as a queen of soul like Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner.

Alison Bechdel, the creator of the Bechdel Test, is from Pennsylvania as well. Bechdel’s name is widely known for its association to this test, which was introduced by her comic strip. The Bechdel Test evaluates the gender equality of movies by recognizing whether the female cast have conversations without discussing men. For a movie to pass the test, there must be at least two female characters who must discuss some topic unrelated to men. This test demonstrates the gender inequality that was once spilling out of Hollywood and is slowly, but steadily, improving. Not only did Bechdel create a test to call out the ever present gender inequality in media and Hollywood, but her comics and other works also advocated for the support of the LGBTQ+ community. The Bechdel Test has become more mainstream over time and is now a common phrase across the internet. As an activist for multiple causes, Bechdel has created a system that demonstrates the harsh reality of gender inequality of older and even modern-day film and media. 

While recognizing influential Pennsylvanian women is important, acknowledging local girls of the Hempfield community is equally crucial. Hempfield’s Sisterhood is a major contributor of this recognition. A club created with the intention of building up and supporting the girls of the school, Sisterhood is a community of girlhood. The club focuses on many topics related to being a girl, such as friendships, mental health, self care, and women in leadership. To the members and leaders of Sisterhood, the club means having a safe space to grow within Hempfield. It is a stress-free community within the school that empowers the girls at Hempfield. Sisterhood could not be a more important club, giving the many girls who attend Hempfield the opportunity to grow and be supported by a healthy and positive community. 

As we enter into the last week of March, make sure to acknowledge and appreciate the women in your life, and perhaps someday, all of the girls reading this will make their impact on our community, state, or country, too.