A woman’s place
History-making females deserve study
It is difficult to imagine an era when married women had no rights to property, wages, or even custody of their children upon divorce. It was a time when husbands could commit their wives to asylums at will, and the courts would do nothing.
Scarcely one century ago, the women of Arkansas received the right to vote. With the 19th Amendment, women were finally made equal under the law by giving them a voice with their ballot. While the magnitude of the vote cannot be understated, women across America seem to have convinced themselves that they have finally achieved equality.
These women are wrong. The state of Arkansas, with its current Social Studies Standards, has room to improve concerning gender parity. The histories of men outnumber women three to one in the revised standards. The young women of our state deserve better than what is currently being offered.
Beginning in 2022, educators from across the state met to create a set of frameworks for a Women’s Studies course as a one-semester high school elective. While this course did not come to fruition, it became a stepping stone for Arkansas citizens to join to support fundamental fairness. Offering an optional Women’s Studies course in Arkansas schools would not detract or draw attention from the achievements of men, but shine a light on the triumphs of a population who have been deemed, thus far, “less important.”
The Women’s Studies course frameworks that teachers, professors, and other educational professionals worked diligently to create detailed units of study, including Women in Government, Women in Wartime, Women in Media, and the like. Each unit provided an exhaustive study of women’s roles and their influence within that sphere.
Many of the women noted were Arkansans. Annie Pike became the first African American state board appointee. She also ran for the Arkansas Senate in 1972. Loreta Velazquez dressed as a man to fight for the Confederacy, and she raised a regiment of volunteer soldiers here in Arkansas.
Arkansas Gov. Charles Brough signed a law giving women the right to vote in primary elections. An Arkansas governor spoke out for women during a time when many women who protested for the vote were imprisoned, beaten, and forcefed by having rubber hoses forced down their throats while being restrained.
Women of every race and creed have influenced American and Arkansas history; it is only fair that young women are given the opportunity to learn about these heroic individuals and the hardships they bravely faced.
As an educator, when I step into my classroom, I see young women who are vibrant and full of personality. These young ladies have brilliant ideas. They want to make a difference because they sincerely believe their voices matter. We must support our young women, encouraging them to become change agents in a world still lacking unilateralism.
The Equal Rights Amendment of 1972 states, “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.” How is it still fair and equitable that by Grade Six, students in Arkansas are required to be introduced to more than 20 men by name but only 12 women, according to the current Arkansas Social Studies standards? Women represent half of America’s population; thus, our history must be equally represented.
German poet Martin Niemöller penned “First They Came For …” in regards to the Holocaust. In his poem, he explained how they came for the Socialists, the trade unionists, and then the Jews. He remained silent because he did not fall into any of these categories. When they came for him, no one was left to speak up for him.
When the Advanced Placement African American History course was eliminated, many did not speak up because this did not apply to them. Will you speak up only when they come for a class that applies to you? If the courses are not to be offered, then we need to redo the standards so that all voices are equally represented.
Arkansas citizens, we stand in the shadows of great women who did not take “no” for an answer. Women matter. Your daughters, sisters, mothers, grandmothers, and wives matter. Our curriculum must be diversified. Our young women must be given the opportunity to learn about women’s history just as they are expected to learn about men’s history. We have a woman governor and we had the first elected female United States senator.
Don’t Arkansans want students who are proud of our rich heritage and the ways that these women have contributed to the benefit of the state and nation? The historical narrative must change as the traditional (male-focused) narrative is only half of the story. A Women’s Studies course, with an available set of frameworks approved by the Arkansas Department of Education, should be offered as an option for schools.
Letting Arkansas’ female students see that the women of this state have done great things will inspire them to join that legacy of women who want to enrich the lives of all Arkansans.