Adding new chapters to women’s history

Behind every great man there is a great woman — or so the saying goes. But of course, women are also capable of greatness standing all on their own.

March is Women’s Histor y Month, and this year couldn’t present a better opportunity to pause and reflect on the strides women have made both recently and historically, across the United States and here in Charles County.

In 2017, the month set aside to honor women falls shortly after we saw the first female major party nominee for president. Despite Hillary Clinton’s loss, the fact she made it as far as she did in the election remains a historic moment worth celebrating for many American women and men.

The month also comes on the heels of what many tout as one of the largest single-day political demonstrations in our nation’s history: the Jan. 21 Women’s March on Washington, held the day after President Donald Trump’s inauguration as a means of standing against what the event’s organizers referred to as some of the new president’s anti-women and other offensive statements and positions. We spoke with local women who attended the rallies in our nation’s capital that day; while some were there to advocate for women’s rights, many others marched in support of health care reform, the environment, racial equality and more.

With more than 500,000 in attendance in D.C., and about 5 million more marching in peaceful solidarity in cities around the world, whether we support or disagree with the ideals behind the movement, we must admire the enormity of this event and regard it seriously among the historical moments made for and by women.

Women also made themselves seen and counted at the 45th annual March for Life in January.

And while women are visible at the forefront of national politics, at home in Charles County they will be assembling as well.

On March 18, the Charles County Chamber of Commerce will host the 2017 Charles County Women’s Fair. The event — held 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the College of Southern Maryland La Plata Campus — will include speakers, presenters and exhibitors aiming to educate and uplift today’s woman with presentations on reaching your full potential in business, stress management and more. Attendees can also tour health and wellness exhibits, take a self-defense class and enjoy a seated massage, among other activities. Go to bit.ly/ccwomensfair.

Women in Charles County are inspiring, accomplished and hardworking. We honor and respect them, in this month and always, not only for the contributions they make, but for the work they do for the betterment of others in general. They are all working to prove women are indeed great, in and of themselves.