By Alison Waller, LiveGirl Program Director
We are living through historical times. COVID-19 has led to many school closures and a shift in how we are expected to interact with each other. Universities and public schools all over Connecticut, the nation, the world! are shutting down to keep their students and staff safe. This means a lot of time at home. Since this month is Women’s History Month, we thought it would be a great opportunity to share some ideas on how to celebrate women’s history at home. I have a Masters in Women’s History and am passionate about engaging the next generation in women’s history and I hope you will join me!
Women’s History Month has been celebrated every year since its establishment in 1987. What has most commonly been celebrated is “firsts”; first US Congresswoman, first woman in space, first woman doctor, etc. Although it is important to acknowledge firsts as role models for our young woman, I argue that exposing them to everyday sheroes should be our new priority. We want young women to aim high, but as we continue to push these high aspirations on them are we causing harm? With issues like massive drops in confidence when girls enter their teen years and the pressure for perfection, it’s vital that we let them know that just by being their best selves they can create positive change in their communities.
This women’s history month, LiveGirl encourages you and the young woman in your life to try out these fun activities:
Create a memory book! Look through old family photos and create a female powered scrapbook. Encourage girls to interview female family members and have them include those interviews in the scrapbook. I love this activity since it helps girls learn about role models in their family. One of the most inspiring women I’ve learned about was my own grandmother. As a young girl, I learned that she was extremely active in the NAACP in the 60s in Nebraska. Not an easy time to take a stand. This fact has encouraged me to speak up and do what I know is right even if it’s not popular.
Watch a movie with a female lead. I encourage you to find movies that show a strong female lead that looks like the young woman in your life. It’s so important for girls to be able to look up to people who look like them and even share a similar background in other ways. Here is a great list of movies from all different genres (please keep an eye on the rating to make sure it’s appropriate for her age).
Read a book together. The glories of Amazon! There are quite a few books you can read online or order right to your door without ever having to leave the house. Here is a great list of books for all ages. I encourage you to read the books together and spark a conversation afterwards. Here are some great conversation starters:
How did that book make you feel? Are you inspired?
Did you like the women in the book? What qualities do you want to take away from X character?
Were you able to relate to X character?
One of my favorites is Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. This book has a great mixture of women your daughter is familiar with and everyday sheroes. One of my favorite activities to do with this book is to read the stories to young women and remove any mentions to her name and then have girls guess who it is.
Working from home and want to keep your daughter learning AND entertained? Set her up with this Women’s History Mystery game!
Explore online women’s history resources! We recommend: Instagram @womenshistory @womeninct Websites: https://www.womenshistory.org/ and https://womenshistorymonth.gov/
I hope this list is a good starting point for spending quality time together and learning about inspiring women. Let us know how these activities went! Keep calm, wash your hands, and stay inspired. Happy Women’s History Month!
