Happy Women’s Month! This year’s theme is “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future” (by the National Women’s History Alliance). March 8 was International Women’s Day, and that theme was “Give to Gain.”
For those who don’t know, Women’s History Month is celebrated every March as a time to recognise and honour the achievements, contributions, and influence of women throughout history. The celebration grew out of International Women’s Day, which began in the 1900s. The movement expanded into a full week in 1980 and later became a month-long celebration in 1987 through support from organisations like the National Women’s History Alliance.
Today, it serves as an opportunity to reflect on the social, political, economic, and cultural contributions women have made worldwide, many of which were historically overlooked or underrepresented.
Each year, the theme is chosen to highlight a particular focus within women’s history. These themes help connect historical achievements to present-day issues. Women’s History Month is special because it not only honours the women who paved the way for greater equality, but also inspires future generations to continue advancing opportunities for women in every field, from science and politics to the arts.
The woman who I believe has given so much to the science world, and who outside of the field doesn’t get enough credit, is Henrietta Swan Leavitt.
Born in Lancaster on 4 July 1868, at 17 she started losing her hearing, which gradually led to her becoming fully deaf. After doing her undergraduate degree, she went to Radcliffe College, a women’s auxiliary to Harvard. When graduating, she was told that if she had been a man, she would have qualified for a Bachelor of Arts, which at that point in time was a big thing.
She started volunteering at the Harvard College Observatory (HCO), eventually becoming a teacher. However, she had not finished some manuscripts, which eventually got her a job back at the HCO.
Henrietta, also known as “The woman who measured the universe,” discovered that the period of brightness fluctuation in Cepheid variable stars is directly related to their luminosity, which was a groundbreaking finding in astronomy. Her work enabled astronomers to measure vast distances to remote galaxies, significantly enhancing the understanding of the scale of the universe.
Henrietta discovered approximately 2,400 variable stars between 1907 and 1921, contributing greatly to the field of stellar astronomy. Her findings laid the groundwork for later astronomers, including Edwin Hubble, who used her work to establish the expanding universe theory. These achievements have had a lasting impact on the field of astronomy and our understanding of the universe.
Women’s History Month helps celebrate overlooked women in the past, present, and future, proving that anyone can make a difference. It shows that young girls can be what they want and follow their dreams, whether that be science, engineering, or technology.
The world in the past was a very different place, where a man could take credit for a woman’s work. But we now have an opportunity to show future generations that we are different, and if we can support young women in reaching for the stars, everyone benefits.
Sources:
Henrietta Swan Leavitt (1868–1921) – MacTutor History of Mathematics
Henrietta Swan Leavitt: Measuring Stellar Distances | Space.com
Check out these local organisations if you need support:
Written by Roselyn Bonsu.
More Posts for Show: The Film Club with Emma and Roselyn