CWU event puts the ‘HER’ in history

The Diversity and Equity Center (DEC) hosted Women’s Herstory to kickoff Women’s History Month. Grad Assistant Victoria Linder who is a second-year student in the Cultural and Environmental Resource Management Program was the primary host of the event.

The event had refreshments, snacks, drinks and a cake saying “Women’s Herstory Month.” They use “HER” in front to replace “HIS” to honor and celebrate notable women in history, according to Linder.

Women’s “Herstory” was established in the 1970s from a feminist movement, according to Linder. The event was a tribute to recognize the accomplishments of all women in the world.

“A lot of women’s voices haven’t been written through history,” Linder said. “This kickoff was to bring [a] voice to that for women and [feminine] identifying folk.”

Linder spoke about feminism and displayed a presentation explaining the differences between masculinity and femininity.

One of Linder’s favorite women that contributed to society is Marie Curie, a Polish French physicist who conducted research on radioactivity and is the only person to win two Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields.

A powerpoint dedicated to powerful women in today’s society told the story of someone who opened an all-women’s law firm after being told by her male boss that she needed to dress more conservatively.

Megan McConnell, director of the transfer center for student achievement, said she “finally understands femininity through being a mother.”

“Raising children has caused me to really think about what that means,” McConnell said. “I didn’t understand the connection to femininity until I had kids.”

DEC hoped all people would show up to these events to educate themselves. Linder said she wants women to be heard and practice gratitude throughout Women’s History Month, and recommended researching it online.

Linder said one woman that she looks up to is her mother, because she knows how to fix things and is a phone call away. She said her mother walked her down the aisle and she calls her even when she has a sink clogged.

To end off the event, the DEC offered white boards attendees could write on asking questions like, “Who are some important woman in your life?” and “Who is someone you have gratitude for?” proach work situations slowly and relationally instead of “guns blazing,” but in the end she prefers to do things that way anyway.

Dean of Graduate Studies Yoshiko Takahashi recounted a time where a student of hers had to make a hard decision that to her felt like a double standard.

“She said that getting a Ph.D. meant that she had to give up having a family,” Takahashi said. “It was hard to convince her that she does not need to sacrifice her personal life to pursue a Ph.D. But at the same time, I wonder how many male students would think that way.”

Takahashi said that she feels women often have to accomplish more and take on a heavier workload to be recognized professionally.

“I feel that women, especially women of color, have the pressure of invisible barriers that are often not recognized in the workplace,” Takahashi said. “For example, women of color in higher education often take on more service work, such as joining committees

The origins of the term ‘girlboss’

According to BBC, the term girlboss can be used to describe a woman who is making her way up the corporate ladder in a male dominated industry; this means literally any facet of the business world. According to Forbes women held 38% of entry level management positions in 2021.

The term girlboss was first used in the 2017 Netflix original series “Girlboss”, where Sophia Amoruso, the owner of an online clothing store, is writing her titular memoir about her experiences and women’s empowerment.

BBC also said that the media has typically depicted the “girlboss” as a cold woman who wants nothing more than to climb the corporate ladder to success. This can be traced back as far as the ‘80s, which BBC notes as the root of women breaking into business roles in the second wave of feminism; during this time, people used the term “pantsuit fem-