It's Our Time

Spring is just around the corner, and the weather and the elections are beginning to heat up. There are so many issues on the table this year – jobs, education, the economy. And what are we talking about? Uteruses (uteri?). It’s fitting, I guess, since March is Women’s History Month, (and today is International Women’s Day) but while we’re at it, let’s talk about the whole woman and not just her reproductive organs.

In 1981, one of our favorite women, Representative (now Senator) Barbara Mikulski sponsored a Congressional Resolution to dedicate an entire week to the celebration of women’s role in history. By 1987 it had become so popular that Congress declared the entire month of March as National Women’s History Month in perpetuity. Every year, the United States spends the month of March honoring and celebrating the achievements of American women, and recognizing the importance of women's voices in the national dialogue.

Around the world, 66% of the world’s work is done by women, yet they earn only 10% of the world’s income. Women are still fighting to achieve parity in so many parts of life, so International Women’s Day celebrates the women who are making a difference to addressing these challenges and giving women a stronger voice.

And never has the need for women to speak out been more acute. This past year there has been an unprecedented assault on women’s rights and women’s healthcare. Funding to essential healthcare services has been cut, laws have been passed that will require women to have medically unnecessary procedures, and birth control has become a political football. Women’s voices need to be heard, not just to advocate for essential programs but to provide their unique perspective on the challenges women face, and the potential that they have. And that’s what we do at EMILY’s List by electing women to political office.

EMILY’s List is supporting an incredible 33 women for political office this year, including a candidate for governor and 11 candidates for Senate. With the line-up of women we have running in 2012, 2012 could be another Year of the Woman. There is an amazing potential here to greatly increase women’s representation in government and bring more women’s voices into the national dialogue. Instead of just celebrating women’s history this year, we have the chance to make it.

Too see a growing list of women we admire and support, check out our Pinterest page, then tell us which women you admire in the comments below.

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