Women's History Month

Happy Women’s History Month to all the incredible women out there!

This is a month we celebrate all the amazing women and girls and their accomplishments throughout history, those of which have paved the way for other women across the nation.

Women’s History Month is a time where we get to honour the women that gave us the opportunity to become part of the Canadian legal system. On October 18th, 1929, a historic decision was made by The Supreme Court of Canada to include women in the legal definition of “persons”, also referred to as the Persons Case. From this decision, for the first time, women were given the right to be appointed to the Senate of Canada. This monumental moment in Canadian history allowed women the right to participate in our political system, where only a few years prior we won the right to vote. 

To commemorate the strong and beautiful Canadian women in our lives, we celebrate Women’s History Month in October, and Persons Day on October 18th each year. This year's theme is Singing for Social Change, honouring Canadian musicians from Buffy Sainte-Marie to Sarah McLachlan, who have used their fame as an opportunity to educate the public on issues surrounding women’s rights and equality. The ETFO created some great questions to get us thinking about music over the decades and how it has impacted our lives;

How does music bring people together?

Should musicians use their creativity to raise awareness of social issues?

Why is it important to acknowledge the contributions of musicians who identify as women?

Whether Women’s History Month is something you’ve celebrated each year or if this is a first for you, it is something to celebrate and cherish! While we as women have come a long way, it is also important to remember that women around the globe are still oppressed from the right to vote.

Author: Carlynn Overbury, Marketing Coordinator