It Wasn't "Significant" Enough...
Throughout my middle school and high school career, I learned a multitude of facts about the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Holocaust the Great Depression, the Vietnam War, the Korean War, the Red Scare, the Civil Rights Movement and other “significant” events in history. While I do not deny each of these events played a part in forming the American society we live in today, I can’t understand how the Women’s Rights Movement wasn’t worthy of our studies. I could tell you hundreds of minor details about each of King Henry VIII’s wives, but all I can tell you about the women’s history is that Elizabeth Blackwell was the first woman doctor in the United States, and the Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton held the first women’s rights convention in America. Other than those brief paragraphs in my history books, all of which had entire chapters on the Civil Rights Movement, I was clueless when it came to the Women’s Movement.
Not only am I shocked that I didn’t learn more about the women’s movement during those 7 years of education, I am also embarrassed. I, a woman, was completely unaware of all the adversities faced by women in order to gain equal rights and other amenities in American culture. I felt guilty for reaping the benefits of years of other women’s relentless efforts to protect my rights.
I think that every person, regardless of ethnicity, race, color, or gender should be exposed to the multiple waves of feminism, and the major events associated with them. We should know that until 1920, women weren’t allowed to vote. We should be taught all of the events presented in Manifesta’s Timeline. Each event presented is equally important and emphasizes the struggle of women from A.D. 33 to the present. Its hard for me to distinguish which events I think are important enough to be taught to students about the women’s movement, but because I was required to memorize the dates and a brief description of all the events of both the Seven and Hundred Years’ Wars, I think I should at least have the opportunity to learn about as many events about women’s history as possible.