Women’s History Month is over! However, we’d prefer to appreciate women all the time, not just in March. Here’s a small sampling of titles by female artists to keep you well aware of women’s contributions to publishing through April, and beyond!

From the out of print and hugely influential feminist magazine Heresies to more recent publications such as Randy and Girl Talk Zine, we are reminded of how important art and the printed word (and image) are to the continuing struggle of women to be recognized and respected equally to men. By women, for women, these publications feature content ranging from manifesto to humorous illustration to abstract collage and all examine gender with a critical eye.

A History of Women’s History Month

Despite passing both houses of congress in 1972, the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) failed to receive the requisite number of state ratifications (38) by the deadline set by congress of June 30th, 1982, and so failed to be adopted. The text of the ERA was fairly simple, and reads as follows:

Section 1 : Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridge by the United States of by any State on account of sex.

Section 2 : The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

Section 3 : This amendment shall take effect two year after the date of ratification.

Perhaps as a salve for the shocking disappointment of this amendment’s failure to pass, in 1982 the week of March 7th was declared by Congress to be Women’s History Week. The week was slowly extended over the next 12 years to finally encompass the entire month of March. Since 1995 every sitting president yearly renews this focus and proclaims the month of March to be Women’s History Month. Feminist organizations continue to work at the federal and state levels for the adoption of the ERA.

Briefly examining the history of Women’s History Month itself serves as a reminder of why feminism is still necessary, how artists making work about women’s experiences is still political, and how equal rights for women is a goal that we all must continue fighting for.