Would you acknowledge news coming from a national non-partisan organization advancing women's leadership across all sectors including the U.S. presidency?

The White House Project reported just recently that "the majority [of the US population] believes a Woman President would be as good as, or better than a man at handling issues of foreign policy, homeland security and the economy." Their poll also showed that more women are now trustful and confident that a fellow woman could handle a leadership position as Secretary of State, House Speaker, Congress member, financial head, or a the highest post in the University. - Whether you are part or not part of this majority of women-leadership supporters, you would have agreed that the news is a great change from how the majority once perceived of women in general.

To date, it was (only) in the year 1920's that women were legally allowed to vote - to voice their opinion and decisions regarding community or nation-wide concerns, which also included them. It was a major change in history; and not only did this gave equal representation of all sectors of the society - this right for suffrage set the platform for women to aspire as leaders capable of advocating better changes in the lives of women in general. It only meant that as women were given the privilege to make their own choices, it then become more likely that their preference to have fellow women as their leaders would be voiced out.

Equal opportunity for leadership beyond the sexes, for one, supports that women, just as men, could also do the job. This is not a matter of answering the needless question whether women are superior to men. It does not really matter if women are naturally born more superior than men (or vice versa). The point rather is - giving equal amounts of recognition.

While it is known that there had not been a lot of phenomenal women listed in history, on the other hand, the truth is that there had been a lot of influential women in reality. There had been women like: Valentina Tereshkova- the first woman astronaut in space, Marian Anderson- the first black woman performer at the Metropolitan Opera, Gertrude Elion- biochemist holder of a Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine for her cancer and viral research, Helen Free- inventor of the home diabetes test, Ada Lovelace- the world's first computer programmer, Amanda Jones- inventor of vacuum-packed canning food production, and Betty Freidan- founder of the National Organization for Women to name only a few; And more recently there are likes of: Molly Murphy MacGregor- executive-director of the National Women's History Project, Drew Gilpin Faust- first ever female president of Harvard University, Indra Nooyi- Fortune400 top-ranked chairman and CEO of Pepsi, Inc., Condoleeza Rice- Secretary of State, Nancy Perlosi- first female US Speaker of the House (a runner for presidency), Hillary Rodham Clinton- US Senator former First Lady (Democrats' runner for president), and then the Chile, Germany, Liberia, and Jamaica Heads of State.

A lot of other women struggle to be recognized for their active formative contributions to various fields in our society. Recognition of women of the highest leadership positions could allow us to have a closer look at the rest of these female achievers. The establishment of the month of March as National Women's History Month takes the opportunity to educate women and men alike about the important roles and various significant accomplishments that women, in general, have contributed to the betterment of the nation, and of the rest of the world, all throughout the span of history both in the past, at present and most especially in the future to come.

As the president of the Feminist Majority Foundation said it, "Rights [including leadership rights] are something [women] shouldn't take for granted... [They have] had to fight for them, but it's only when you have confidence in your rights that you utilize them. Young women must feel they have a right to them because if you do not feel you have a right to them, you do not achieve, you do not step forward because you do not feel that it is your place- and... everywhere is [a woman's] place."

Having a woman as president or head of a religious congregation not only opens up the greater possibility of being able to deal with the immensity of women-related concerns (which is the majority and most crucial of the world's concern's), but also serves as an awareness-raising program, most specifically for women in general. It is the most potent example that women "could do the job" and succeed in no matter which walk of life. It allows women to take an introspective look at their natural potentials, their modest beginnings, present struggles, and their capability for actively shaping their own positive directions in their future ahead.

From the beginning of time, few women are given the opportunity to use their full knowledge and influence, to actualize their dreams, learnings and strengths. Understanding, supporting, and connecting with women will encourage them ever more to become who they really are - able women, able citizens. Overall, it helps advance people's awareness and promote equality, which is a constant effort to fight against discrimination and oppression.

Women contenders for leadership challenge themselves to work out their full citizenship in exercising their rights; In turn, women in power also give empowerment to all women... Perhaps that's one of the nicest things about a woman's nature - sharing. As what writer/editor Margaret Fuller once said, "If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it."

~Ae Dechavez

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References

Blume, Jillian (2007). Generations of Women Moving History Forward: (2007 Theme of National History Month). MSN Lifestyle-Women. Retrieved March 13, 2007 from http://lifestyle.msn.com/mindbodyandsoul/womenintheworld/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3330307

New Poll Finds for First Time a Majority of Americans Ready to Elect a Female President within Next Five Years (2007). TheWhiteHouseProject.Org. Retrieved March 13, 2007 from http://www.thewhitehouseproject.org/