Since the first Women’s History Month in 1987, this month-long observance to highlight the achievements of women has inspired women and girls across the country to support and uplift each other at community events.
One such event is Belmont’s Girl Talk, started by the Belmont Youth Advisory Committee to allow women of all ages to gather and discuss issues facing them within the community.
“In a world where there is increasing amounts of pressure on young girls to live up to societal expectations, Girl Talk was meant to be a brief reprieve from the world,” said Skylar Le, a member of the Youth Advisory Committee’s Girl Talk subcommittee and the president of the Students Offering Support Club at Carlmont. “I and other members of Belmont’s Youth Advisory Committee wanted to create a safe space where young women could open a dialogue regarding the tumultuous times women are facing both politically and socially.”
On Feb. 25, the Girl Talk subcommittee members were honored with a Belmont council proclamation to honor their contributions to Women’s History Month.
Although community events such as Girl’s Talk have given women a safe space to express their feelings amid uncertainties about their rights, many women have found themselves rallying to protect their rights for the future amid uncertainty about how the Trump administration will impact women.
“I had the initial idea for Girl Talk following the 2025 election after many young girls approached me in Carlmont’s Students Offering Support Club regarding how scared and confused they were about the changing narrative for women in the U.S.,” Le said.
Despite the uncertainty regarding the future of Women’s History Month, Carlmont High School has long prided itself on its inclusion and safety for female students, with Feminist Club being one of the main pillars.
“The purpose of Feminist Club is to provide an open space for all students — female, male, and nonbinary — to discuss prevalent issues regarding gender. Feminist Club’s mission is primarily to provide an outlet for discussion, which we provide through sharing information about topics like women’s health, global civil rights violations, and sexual and domestic violence,” said Lisa Kibireva, the president of Carlmont’s Feminist Club.
Teachers also play a role in honoring Women’s History Month by keeping their classrooms open to female students who need to talk and encouraging discussions regarding the holiday.
“My hope is that my classroom provides femle students the safe space to feel that they can challenge themselves, grow, take risks, and feel appreciated for who they are,” said Tiffany Jay, a freshman English teacher at Carlmont.
Educational institutions, including the San Mateo County Office of Education and Carlmont High School, have also explored numerous ways to celebrate Women’s History Month.
“Carlmont’s Feminist Club has celebrated Women’s History Month by spotlighting different women who have made a positive impact throughout time. We have discussed women like Mahsa Amini, Henrietta Lacks, and Rosalind Franklin. Our goal is to appreciate women from the modern day and the past who embody relevant social issues,” Kibireva said.
Women’s History Month started out as a local celebration in Santa Rosa in 1978 to honor women’s contributions to American History, and quickly spread to other counties until President Jimmy Carter issued a proclamation declaring the week of March 8th Women’s History Week. In 1987, Congress passed a public law to designate all of March as “Women’s History Month,” passing additional resolutions over the years until 1995, when each president began issuing annual proclamations designating the month of March to be “Women’s History Month.”
President Trump’s proclamation described the official observance of Women’s History Month in 2025 and his respect for all of the women in his administration. He also referenced executive orders he had signed that he believed aligned with the values of the month, including one preventing “X” sex markers on U.S. passports and another limiting competition in women’s sports to biological females.
However, the future of women’s rights remains uncertain. With political tensions rising and female activists rallying in Washington Square against the Trump administration’s policies in honor of International Women’s Day, it is unclear what Women’s History Month will hold in the coming years.
Still, students and community members alike continue to hold on to their beliefs and focus on what is at the heart of Women’s History Month: recognizing what women have achieved and continue to achieve.
“Girl Talk was created by women for women, and I think that’s what Women’s History Month is all about — celebrating the accomplishments of women and, more importantly, how we can accomplish these things together,” Le said.
