~ Virginians encouraged to honor the contributions of women in the Commonwealth and throughout history ~
Governor Ralph Northam recently issued a proclamation and made the following statement on Women’s History Month, which is celebrated in Virginia and nationwide during March to honor trailblazing women who have helped move the country and the Commonwealth forward.
“Virginia has no shortage of pioneering women who have made history by overcoming doubt and discrimination, by daring to step into roles that had never been held by a woman, and by breaking down barriers for those who would follow. During Women’s History Month, we celebrate milestones in gender equality, and we uplift the stories of women who have impacted our world with their creativity, advocacy, service, invention, and discovery.
“As we honor the progress we have made, we must also acknowledge that many of these gains were not inclusive of all women, particularly women of color. In Virginia, we will continue to lift up all who identify as women as we strive for a more equitable future.
“We went into the 2020 General Assembly session calling it the ‘year of the woman’, with Eileen Filler-Corn becoming the first female speaker of the House of Delegates, and L. Louise Lucas becoming the first female and African American President Pro Tempore of the Senate. In addition, Charniele L. Herring became the first female and first African American legislator to serve as House Majority Leader, and Suzette Denslow became the first woman to serve as Clerk of the House of Delegates and Keeper of the Rolls of the Commonwealth. Her counterpart, Susan Clark Schaar, has served as Clerk of the Senate for two decades.
“Following decades of advocacy and with women at the helm, Virginia became the 38th and final state needed to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, which brought the nation one step closer to ensuring true gender equality is enshrined in our Constitution.
“Finally, 2021 was ushered in with Kamala Harris taking office as the first woman and first Black and South Asian Vice President of the United States. I am proud to stand alongside so many brilliant and intrepid women leading our country and this Commonwealth forward, especially in my cabinet, across our Administration, and directing our state agencies. Women’s History Month is both an opportunity to recognize the importance of women’s representation wherever decisions are being made, and to learn about the women who have helped us reach this moment, paving the way for the change-makers of today and tomorrow.”
The theme of Women’s History Month in 2021 is “Valiant Women of the Vote: Refusing to be Silenced,” which extends last year’s recognition of the centennial anniversary of the 19th Amendment and the continuing fight for suffrage for all women.
- Submitted by Alena Yarmosky, Office of the Governor
