Historical movements have become the pillar to setting months aside for previously oppressed and extraordinarily disadvantaged groups.
For African-Americans, February is set aside to appreciate and dialogue more on their history. For women, August is set aside for discussions on gender equality. Yet, African-Americans are not faced with identity issues and police brutality in February, and women aren’t divorced to their issues in the month of August.
Although these communities continuously raise their voice and awareness, the dialogue only ignites globally during these months, shifting the mandate of these months as times to reflect whether we are moving towards our goal in equality, empowerment and sensitization.
Although personally, I believe that women’s rights and the rights of black people in the United states isn’t an issue where we can only push burning topics and occurrences to specific dates; I acknowledge that a date has been set, and was then – a great start in the deep-seeded liberation movements in the communities. It is now dependent on us to use this month to turn this conversation – which can be uncomfortable to some, as common conversation which moves from verbal conversation to legislative policies, economical shifts towards an equally gendered global society where the idea of woman is not considered as a burden to men.
