Celebrating Women’s History with girls and boys—all year long

Recently, I had the wonderful experience of taking my teenage daughter to see On the Basis of Sex, the 2018 biopic of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. More than the many discussions my daughter and I have shared about women’s equality and gender rights in the US, watching the film gave my daughter a new understanding and appreciation of RBG and the many people who have fought for equal rights.

One of the conversations that we had following the movie was focused on Ruth’s husband, Martin Ginsburg, who not only supports Ruth’s goals but who also grows to take on family responsibilities like cooking that many men of his era saw as the domain of their wives. It’s important to me to raise up examples of women through history like RBG who fight for equality—and also of men who take an active role in speaking out for women’s rights.

We’re in the midst of Women’s History Month—and there are wonderful programs and exhibits to take your children to throughout the city. I’m also sharing resources for books and videos that you can read and watch with your children—all through the year. We want to raise up the stories of women in history—and also give our children role models, like Martin Ginsburg, of men championing women’s rights.

To inspire conversation about women’s history, check out these Philly events with your family:

• Lucretia Mott Walking Tour: Every Saturday and Sunday through 3/31, Independence National Historical park offers a free guided tour about the life and legacy of local Philadelphian, Lucretia Mott that focuses on her involvement in the anti-slavery movement led to her becoming a leading figure in the fight for votes for women.
• Women in STEM Day: On March 23^rd, the Franklin Institute hosts a special day highlighting the contributions of women in science. The day includes lots of hands-on activities.
• Women’s History: Literacy Stations for Kids: All month long, various branches of the Free Library are hosting special women’s history month events. On March 23^rd, the Walnut Street West branch celebrates women’s history through a day of games, activities, book giveaways, and theatrical performance.
• Meet Phillis the Washerwoman: Through March at the historic Betsy Ross House, your kids can “meet” Phillis, a free African American woman who was born into slavery and learn about her fascinating story as a free woman of color in the 18^th

Beyond these time-limited events, you can learn about women’s history with your kids through the years. Here Wee Read shares a terrific list of 25 children’s picture books for Women’s History Month and you can find terrific videos watch with your kids curated by the Geena David Institute here.

I’d love to hear about how you’ll be honoring women’s history with your family through the year~please share events, books, videos and more resources in the comments below.