In 1987, the National Women's History Project (NWHP) helped lead a campaign to launch Women's History Month, a time designated for recognizing accomplishments made by women throughout history. In honor of the month-long celebration, seven inspiring facts about women today.
Women are winning mayoral elections more frequently: In 2016, women secured more mayoral election wins in 18.9 percent of U.S. cities with more than 30,000 residents, according to data from Catalyst.org.
Women are taking initiative within the business world: As of 2015, women in the U.S. owned more than 9.4 million firms, generating $1.5 trillion in sales, according to the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). Women of color, however, own 2.9 million firms.
Women tend to live longer than men: Females longevity is seen across every country worldwide. This can be partly attributed to estrogen, a hormone that has protective capabilities.
A transgender woman was elected to office for the first time ever: In 2017, Danica Roem became the first openly trans woman to be elected when Virginia voted her into the House of Delegates. The 32-year-old managed to beat Republican candidate Bob Marshall, who established a firm stance against the LBGTQ community.
More women are joining the military: Today, women make up 15 percent of active military personnel. While the field is still dominated by males, this percentage is a small boost from the reported 11 percent enlisted in 1990.
Women are increasingly enrolling in law school: As of now, women make up 50.3 percent of current law school graduates, according to a report from Law 360. However, these graduates are seeing fewer employment opportunities—they represent just 35 percent of lawyers at firms nationwide
Women in Hollywood are leading the charge against sexual harassment: More than 300 women working in the entertainment industry—from Natalie Portman to America Fererra—joined forces in January 2018 to launch the Times Up initiative to help put an end to sexual misconduct. "To women in every industry who are subjected to indignities and offensive behavior that they are expected to tolerate to make a living: We stand with you. We support you," read an open letter. The movement has raised $20 million to date.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Dory Jackson is a New York-based entertainment journalist from Maryland. She graduated from Randolph-Macon College—in May 2016—with a focus in Communication ... Read more
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