The Sisterhood of Showing Up
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On the first Sunday of March, I celebrated, actually celebrated, this day for women by doing more than just posting “Happy International Women’s Day” on my Instagram account. I had decided that this month, I would actually pay some attention to the significance of the month. The 2026 theme of Women’s History Month was: Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future.
The month kicks off with International Women’s Day on the the first Sunday of the month. I had read in our local paper that my area chapter of Women for Democracy was sponsoring several events, and the first was on International Women’s Day. I texted a friend to join me and in the early afternoon we walked together in the warm March air to the local museum for the inaugural program for the month. We took the stairs to the top floor of the museum and entered the meeting room. Flooded with afternoon light, the sun seemed to bounce off a sea of silver threads. Largely attended by women sixty and over, my friend and I slipped to an open table in the back of the room. The tapestry of the backs of women’s heads revealed a true intergenerational mix, with a handful of men sprinkled into the mix. The dais showcased a program of women who weaved together stories of young motherhood, gray personhood, a strong entrepreneurial female spirit, and a fierce commitment to political action, with a focus on the theme of human rights. They added to that more than a nod to the hopes, dreams, ambitions and potential of young girls. All of these woman, a little over 100 of them, in my small community, showed up on a Sunday afternoon to honor, to bear witness, to answer a call to action, and to make sure women know that “the sisterhood of showing up” leads to change.
“Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home – so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world.”
Here are some quotes that stayed with me from the women who spoke…
“Life hits differently…the world feels heavy.”
“Think of another woman today, waking up in a war zone.”
“When frustration becomes fuel…hope is not optional.
“Little girls who get “talks a lot” written on their report cards have something to say. Little girls who get “needs to mind her own business” on their report cards are just showing they care about their community.”
In between the speakers, a 13 year old girl played her own arrangement of Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’.” By the end of the program, I felt the threads pull tighter.
Later in the month, I went to a talk at the local library titled, “Herstory: Women in Medicine.” It started with a general, historical overview, then zeroed in on Vermont, and then my community. Presented by two local retired female doctors, one of whom had been my doctor for a while, they talked about their experiences in medical school and in their practices. I was reminded of something I had taken for granted — the arrival of female doctors, along with female dentists into my community in the early 80’s and into the 90’s. I remembered, ironically, it had taken a bit longer for female OBGYN’s to come to town, and I had to travel out of town to find one in my twenties and thirties. You, too, may remember what filled that void - Planned Parenthood. Founded by women for women to receive female-centric health care, it was my only reproductive health care until my late twenties. Another thing I was reminded of during their talk, which again, focused on their experiences as women doctors in male-dominated education and practice settings, was how little to no attention over time was paid to women actually receiving health care. Jayme Verdi, MD, and Ambika Eranki, MD, MPH wrote in their 2024 Association for Women in Science article: “One of the most consequential effects of gender bias is seen within the medical field, where women are more likely than men to experience dismissal of their symptoms, obstacles to quality care, and misunderstandings by their providers. Despite composing 50% of the population, women are grossly underrepresented in medical studies. Historically, they have often been absent from clinical research and have only recently gained access to large-scale clinical trials.”
My Women’s History Month non-fiction book of choice.
“My Life on the Road is the moving, funny, and profound story of Gloria’s growth and also the growth of a revolutionary movement for equality—and the story of how surprising encounters on the road shaped both. From her first experience of social activism among women in India to her work as a journalist in the 1960s; from the whirlwind of political campaigns to the founding of Ms. magazine; from the historic 1977 National Women’s Conference to her travels through Indian Country—a lifetime spent on the road allowed Gloria to listen and connect deeply with people, to understand that context is everything, and to become part of a movement that would change the world.”
Some of these same topics were touched upon the in the book I chose as my nonfiction read for Women’s History Month, Gloria Steinem’s My Life on the Road. The book is a fascinating account of a revolutionary women’s movement in motion, traveling to spaces where women come together and making space so they can. In her travels she meets with and collaborates with other icons of the women’s movement, as the reader becomes privy to how certain landmarks of the movement came to be.
“The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights. ”
I learned so much from this book. At 68, there were things I had forgotten, or taken for granted, things that I thought I knew, but really had no idea of the depth. Reading this book was another way to honor, to celebrate women during this important month. No one exemplifies the “sisterhood of showing up” more than Steinem does in this book. The way she stood with and by other women, listening to their wisdom, honoring both their brilliance and struggle, where they lived, where they organized, and where they argued but ultimately came together, was truly inspirational. The book reminded me that women have always found a meeting place. From kitchen tables, church basements, coffee shops, and grocery store aisles, to school board meetings, city council, and state, national, and international government and non-governmental positions, women showed up. Yet, I still believe that when their days feel like too much, these women — all women— question whether or not they have done enough. And that is what fuels the sisterhood of showing up. We show up for our sisters as friends or strangers, as neighbors or across the miles, as communities locally, as nations, globally. By showing up, we lead the change; we shape the future.
“ ...people in the same room understand and empathize with each other in a way that isn’t possible on the page or screen.”
This month ended with another No Kings Day. The biggest one yet. It’s yet another example of women knowing how to show up…for democracy: “The No Kings movement is … organized disproportionately by women. Since the No Kings days began, observers have questioned whether mobilizing people to protest in the streets can lead to lasting, societal change. Early anecdotal evidence suggests that participating in No Kings events is motivating the women organizing them to think more about what they can do to support their country’s democracy. (The 19th*)”
I came away from this 2026 Women’s History Month with an understanding that what might feel like a small life can still tell a big story. Small movements create momentum. And I also came away with an important question: How will I keep showing up?
