Women Leaders of the Suffrage Movement, Preparing for Walks on Washington, DC and Albany, NY
For some people this is the last week of February. For me it
is the countdown to Women’s History Month followed by the countdown to April’s
A to Z blog challenge. It is almost like I get two months of women’s history
because I focus on women writers during April.
This year’s Women’s History Month is themed like this: “Women Inspiring Innovation Through Imagination: Celebrating Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.”
You might have figured out at first glance, I abhorred this theme.
Then I settled down and thought, “Hey – women have passion in all areas. Just because I don’t equate imagination with these “hard side” arenas doesn’t mean… wait. These areas DO inspire and evoke imagination. They also tend to be more highly dominated by men then the soft side of literature and the humanities.
Naturalist Alice Eastwood
Suddenly, my mind shifted as I thought of my beloved women
naturalists across time. They were scientists, first and foremost. To use
visual arts terminology, nature and natural studies is their medium and their
palette. When I sketch in my nature journal I am combining both skill sets: the
scientist and the artist, the naturalist and the curious, the imaginative and
the completely alive side of me who has become more observant with age, not
less observant.
I know women are thought of less in the world of science, mathematics and engineering. I am one who struggles with the math of my sixth grade son from time-to-time and am reteaching myself statistics, elementary algebra and geometry. We certainly didn’t cover all this material in the sixth grade, but today’s students are on an accelerated course of study in these areas.
It makes sense.
In March, then, my personal Women’s History Course of Study
will include some of my perennial favorites like Elizabeth Cady Stanton, but I
will also dive deeply into the areas I don’t normally dive into so that I may
learn about a greater spectrum of women always in hopes of educating all people
about the contribution so many women have made which so often goes
unacknowledged.
What will you do to celebrate Women’s History Month?
Perhaps you have never thought about it before – there is nothing wrong with that at all, you are in the majority.
Just consider the idea of learning something this month, of talking about women’s
Raise our Voices, Words and Support of Women Everywhere
contributions including the traditional womanly
gifts. Each and all is valid. There are
no more important or less important.
There are, instead, simply glorious women walking side-by-side throughout the past and into today. Men, too, are taking our hands.
I am grateful you are among us.
= = =
Writing at Emily Dickinson's House (see the Yellow Home in the background?
Julie
Jordan Scott is a Creative Life Coach, a Poet Performer, a Writer and a
Mommy Extraordinaire. Stay in touch with her via twitter or facebook or
you may always call or text her at 661.444.2735 to arrange a
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© 2013 by Julie Jordan Scott
