An alternate view on Women’s History Month

On Tuesday, we published Alexis Grenell’s latest column, in which she argues that designations like Women’s History Month are a cheap, largely aesthetic substitute for more complex discussions about gender equality and women’s rights. In outlining her argument, Alexis smartly highlighted the differences between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio in how they approach the surface politics of honoring women.

State Sen. Patty Ritchie, who represents the 48th district encompassing the North Country, offered an opposing view. You might know Ritchie as the legislator who proposed a bill that would allow teenage hunters and their adult companions to wear fluorescent pink while they hunt, ostensibly to get more women into hunting – a bill subsequently derided as “insulting” by the Women’s Hunting and Sporting Association. Ritchie uses the Upstate Women’s Leadership Council, a group she created, as the focal point of her argument in favor of special designations for women – essentially saying that in order to prepare women for the future, we also need to honor the past.

Here’s her response to Alexis’ column: 

On a chilly North Country November night, more than 200 women from throughout the region I represent ventured to a local community college to take part in the very first event hosted by the Upstate Women’s Leadership Council.

Established last year, this group was born out of recognition that an impressive number of women are stepping up to the plate, serving in key leadership roles – namely in Congress, the state Senate and as leaders of rural communities throughout the region I represent. While the Leadership Council was conceived by a Republican senator, it’s a group that knows no political persuasion. In fact, its very first event featured a Democratic political figure – Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul.

The women who attended the inaugural Leadership Council event were hungry for ways to network, share and learn – and they are no different than other women across New York state, who are also eager to connect with each other in ways that help us all to achieve our goals. With plans for a second UWLC event underway, it’s my hope that this concept can grow beyond Central and Northern New York to include women from all across the upstate region.

And while organizations like the Upstate Women’s Leadership Council help prepare women for success in the future, there’s something to be said about learning from the past, too. That’s where special designations – like Women’s History Month and the state Senate’s own Women of Distinction program – come in. From historical figures like Eleanor Roosevelt and Susan B. Anthony who have made their mark on a grander scale in New York state, to the countless local women who make a difference in their own communities, through these special recognitions we are inspired to reach for even greater heights.

While some may argue that Women’s History Month and other similar events and celebrations should, in fact, be “history,” I would have to disagree. These designations are more than just “checking a box” – they’re reminders of how far we’ve come, and how much further we can go.