March is Women’s History Month

By Maureen Lisi-MacReady, Advancing Belonging, Community and Diversity Committee

According to the United States Census Bureau, there were 164.8 million women of all ages and 159.9 million men of all ages in the United States in 2022.  Women have represented at least half, and more often than not, more than half of the population of the United States of America. So it may not be apparent why a month should have been set aside to highlight women throughout America’s history. 

The month originally began as a week of celebration under President Jimmy Carter, who offered this message to the nation designating March 2nd-8th, 1980 as National Women’s History Week:

From the first settlers who came to our shores, to the first American Indian families who befriended them, men and women have worked together to build this nation. Too often the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength, and love of the women who built America were as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well.

As Dr. Gerda Lerner has noted, “Women’s History is Women’s Right.” – It is an essential and indispensable heritage from which we can draw pride, comfort, courage, and long-range vision.”

I ask my fellow Americans to recognize this heritage with appropriate activities during National Women’s History Week, March 2-8, 1980.

I urge libraries, schools, and community organizations to focus their observances on the leaders who struggled for equality – – Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, Lucy Stone, Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Harriet Tubman, and Alice Paul.

Understanding the true history of our country will help us to comprehend the need for full equality under the law for all our people.

This goal can be achieved by ratifying the 27th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which states that “Equality of Rights under the Law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.

In 1987, Congress declared March as National Women’s History Month in perpetuity, as the popularity had grown with the efforts to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. Each year a special Presidential Proclamation is issued to honor the extraordinary achievements of American women.

Women have historically fought for the same opportunities and protections offered to men. Tenacity, necessity, and an unfailing effort have driven women to continue to fight for parity and credit for their accomplishments. It took hundreds of years to be allowed to own property in their own name, even longer to be able to finance homes in their own name and to be paid an equal amount for equal pay. The struggles and accomplishments continue. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 was strengthened by the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. In 2010 with the Affordable Care Act, women were given the legal right to be charged the same amount as men for health insurance.

The following graphic of key accomplishments was comprised of information from the National Association of REALTORS® and provided by Lauren Sandoval of the Bank of Albuquerque.

Real estate has historically been an industry in which women have represented the majority of residential real estate positions. 

  • 65 percent of all REALTORS® are women, but women are less represented in leadership.
  • In commercial real estate, women make up only 36.7 percent of the workforce.
  • Female membership in NAR has grown from none in the first two years to a majority, with seven women elected as NAR Presidents.

Changing leadership demographics will require a commitment to developing and promoting female talent at all levels.

More details about women’s history in real estate can be found at https://www.nar.realtor/women-in-real-estate.

Source: 2021 National Association of REALTORS® Member Profile