March is Women’s History Month, a time to honor the contributions women have made in history and our society.
This time of the year isn’t just for focusing on the trailblazers in women’s history. It also creates space to celebrate the women within our communities — whose names don’t appear in textbooks, but whose influence is undeniable nonetheless.
Cyclones are taking this time to recognize the impactful women in their lives who are near and dear to their hearts.
“I’m always going to look up to my mom,” Brigitta Vande Lune, a senior in fashion merchandising and design, said. “She’s just amazing. She has been through literally so much. She is continuously so strong and so supportive of me and all my sisters.”
Women’s History Month reminds the community to reflect on how they have been shaped into who they are today by the women who inspire them.
“If there’s one thing she taught me, it’s to never back down,” Vande Lune said. “To never doubt myself and to always love myself. I look up to her every day.”
Maya Dirksen, a sophomore majoring in geology, acknowledged the path forged by the women who came before her.
“We wouldn’t even be able to go to college,” Dirksen said. “We wouldn’t be able to vote. We wouldn’t be able to do a lot of stuff. We’d just stay at home, dealing with the housework, which is not something that I would really enjoy. I think it’s good that we have a month to celebrate the history that women have given us.”
Grant Way, a senior in psychology, emphasized his appreciation for the hardworking female role models close to him and their resilience through the barriers they faced.
“In my life, I would say [I look up to] my grandma because she wasn’t afforded the opportunity to go to college,” Way said. “She started her own small business and did that for like 30 years, which I think is a very inspiring thing to do. She still did something and made something of herself even though she wasn’t awarded the same opportunities that I have.”
Women’s History Month sheds a spotlight on the legacy and achievements of women whose work is often historically undermined or overlooked.
“Especially in high school, I feel most history classes were extremely male-focused,” Way said. “It was like, ‘Here’s all this stuff men did and also, like, here’s some stuff women did on the side… But look at all the cool stuff men did!’”
Vande Lune reiterated a reminder that Women’s History Month is all about empowerment and embracing women’s strength.
“I feel like being proud of our sex is super important,” Vande Lune said. “I love the women that have come before me, and that will come after me… I hate the saying ‘You can do what a guy can do,’ because obviously, you can do that. You can do more than that. You can do things that they can’t, even if they tried their hardest.”
