WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH
Happy Women’s History Month! 31 days of celebrating the women who sat at tables they weren’t invited to, refused to wait their turn, broke rules and rewrote them, made space where none existed, and refused to stay quiet. It’s a month of celebration, but it’s also a reminder that the work of honoring and protecting women’s progress doesn’t begin and end in March.
Women’s History Month is also a time to pay attention to the conversations shaping our future. Regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum, women fought for our right to vote and be heard. So when policies like the SAVE America Act spark national conversation about who gets to participate in our democracy, we’re reminded that women’s voting rights cannot be taken for granted.
Last month, the US House passed the SAVE America Act, which would implement new rules that could make it more difficult for women to register to vote if they’ve changed their names. Senate leadership has said the bill has no path forward, but the conversation is far from over.
The SAVE America Act would require voters to present original proof‑of‑citizenship documents, like a birth certificate, that match their current legal name. This means the estimated 69 million American women that have changed their legal names due to marriage, assimilation, or gender identity cannot use their birth certificate as proof of citizenship under this legislation
Women who have undergone a name change know how difficult, tedious, and time-consuming the process can be. That’s why it’s especially frustrating when male lawmakers dismiss these concerns as “ridiculous” or claim the process is “easy.” In reality, a name change often requires filing petitions, paying hefty fees, completing stacks of paperwork, taking time off work to visit the Social Security office and DMV, and in some states undergoing background checks, fingerprinting, or even appearing in court. After that, you still have to update your passport and change your name on virtually every account you’ve ever created. Like so many other things in America, the onus falls solely on women.
Women fought for generations to secure the right to vote – it was not handed over. So when a single piece of legislation could make it harder for 69 million women to register to vote or cast their ballots, it’s clear that the fight to vote is ongoing. The old adage rings true: just because you don’t take an interest in politics doesn’t mean politics won’t take an interest in you.
NYWICI’s very first Matrix Award honoree Gloria Steinem said, “The voting booth is still the only place that a pauper equals a billionaire and any woman equals any man. It is the only place on earth in which everybody’s equal”
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, let’s remember voting rights require vigilance. Women fought for generations for us to have a voice, and we must honor that legacy by using it. Every ballot we cast is an act of gratitude to the women who came before us and a promise to the women who will come after. So stay informed, stay involved – but don’t stay quiet.
