The year was 1971, and the United States, fresh off the African-American Civil Rights Movement that heralded the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, was primed for evolution in the realm of women’s rights. The progressive social movement that helped bring the downfall of legalized racial segregation and begin the path to eradicating discrimination in all forms turned its sights on recognizing women’s equality.
Forty-five years ago this week, Congress first passed a resolution recognizing Women’s Equality Day,commemorating the granting of the vote to women throughout the country in 1920.
In little more than a generation, women have made incredible strides.
At the time of the Women’s Equality Day proclamation in 1971, there were 15 women in the 92nd Congress, totaling a paltry 2 percent of federally elected officials. Today, there are 108 women in the 114th Congress, equating to 20 percent. Although women are still lacking parity among lawmakers, we are making strides in this arena and others, thanks in part to legislators who worked tirelessly to ensure that women’s equality remains at the forefront of public consciousness.
Where female legislators once led the way, there are others who now pick up the mantle of women’s equality. I consider myself one of them, and I’m proud to lead an organization dedicated to development, promotion and advancement of women, the organizations they serve, and works to positively impact the Iowa economy.
This month, IWLC os proudly telling the tales of many of the female giants who came before us, blazing trails so we could walk in their footsteps. Nineteenth century suffragist and vocal advocate for women’s rights, Lucy Stone, believed women would be the future of our country due to their economic potential. Arabella Mansfield, a Burlington, Iowa native, was the first female lawyer in the United States. In 1869, Mansfield was admitted to the Iowa bar after earning high scores on her bar exam that Iowa state law originally restricted to males. These are but a few of the stories shared this month through educational outreach and social media.
This year on Women’s Equality Day, as we carry on the legacy of the early suffragettes and those women who have paved the way for women’s leadership, I invite you to recall one of my favorite quotes: “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”
Diane Ramsey is the chief executive officer of Iowa Women Lead Change (IWLC). Under her stewardship, IWLC transitioned from a grassroots-driven once-a-year event to a statewide 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is dedicated to the development, promotion, and advancement of women, the organizations they serve, and to impacting the greater Iowa economy.