Celebrate women’s contributions to history and their impact on society.
“Women are fierce — we break barriers, run companies, make scientific discoveries, raise families, and lift each other up. But the fact is, discriminatory policies blocked women from fully participating in our country for generations. It led to disparities in wages, representation and opportunities that we are still tackling.”
– Deb Haaland, U.S. Secretary of the Interior (The first Indigenous person to serve as Secretary of State)
March is Women’s History Month
In the U.S., the month of March is a time to honor the contributions and achievements of women* throughout history, reflect on the past and present struggle to secure equal rights, and promote gender equity and inclusion. This year’s national theme is “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.” The theme honors and recognizes women who work to eliminate bias and discrimination from our lives and institutions.
*When we use “women” and “girls” in this post, we recognize that there is a spectrum of gender identities.
Despite progress, women and girls still face barriers to full and equal participation. Gender pay gaps, healthcare disparities, and discrimination and bias persist. And with the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Supreme Court decision, reproductive rights have been narrowed. Significant work still needs to be done to achieve equity both in the U.S. and across the globe.
Women at UW Medicine
In the UW Medicine community, women — approximately 67% of our organization — are making profound contributions. Whether a scientist leading the effort to create a breast cancer vaccine, or an interpreter creating and facilitating a wellness group for Somali women, or a nurse who has long advocated for Veterans and healthcare equity and was recently awarded the Martin Luther King Jr. 2024 Distinguished Service Award, extraordinary achievements are taking place every day across UW Medicine campuses. UW Medicine is committed to creating a workplace that focuses on gender equity and diversity.
You can read about more incredible women at UW Medicine in the 2024 and 2023 employee feature.
Recognizing Intersectionality
We recognize that individuals experience multiple intersectional forms of oppression or discrimination based on their various identities. Intersectionality, defined by scholar Kimberlè Crenshaw, reminds us that gender discrimination can be compounded by other forms of marginalization, including (but not limited to) race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, neurodiversity and age. We all can seek ways to amplify voices and advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion. The Office of Healthcare Equity is a resource for further training on intersectionality in society and our workplace.
Digital Assets and Poster
Email Signature
Celebrate Women’s History Month and support colleagues by adding an icon to your email signature. If you need instructions on how to add an email signature, visit the Microsoft Office support page.
Zoom background
Visit the UW Medicine brand site to download the background. If you need instructions on how to change your Zoom background, visit the Zoom support page.
Poster
Download a PDF of the poster.
Resources
Learn more about some of the prominent influencers in women’s history by visiting the resources below.
- Learn about UW School of Medicine’s Women in Medicine and Science Committee.
- Read about Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to receive an MD from a U.S. medical school.
- Read about Rebecca Lee Crumpler, the first African American woman to receive an MD.
- Celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8.
- Read a timeline of Women’s History in Seattle and influential women in the Pacific Northwest.
- Read biographies of important women throughout U.S. history from Time and the National Women’s History Museum.
- 7 Great Reads for Women’s History Month from The Whole U.
- Great reads from Trans and Queer authors: Hugh Ryan’s The Women’s House of Detention, Jan Morris’s Conundrum, Meredith Talusan’s The Fairest.
- Read about LGBTQ+ women who have made history.
- Read about inspiring Native American women both past and present.
- Find women-owned small businesses in your area.
