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Why Women’s Equality Day Still Matters

Every August 26, Women’s Equality Day marks the anniversary of the 1920 certification of the 19th Amendment, which gave many American women the right to vote. It’s a powerful moment in U.S. history; but one that also invites reflection on how far we’ve come, and how far we still have to go.

At TheraHeal, we recognize that mental health equity is deeply connected to systemic equity and that gender, race, class, and identity all shape the lived experience of care. This blog explores the history and present-day relevance of Women’s Equality Day, celebrates the pioneers who paved the way, and highlights the ongoing work of healing in the context of gender equity and mental wellness.

A Brief History of Women’s Equality Day

Women’s Equality Day was established in 1971 by Congress, thanks to the efforts of Rep. Bella Abzug, a bold advocate for women’s rights. It commemorates the ratification of the 19th Amendment, a watershed moment that followed decades of suffragist organizing.

But it’s important to note while white women gained access to the vote in 1920, many women of color, especially Black, Indigenous, and Asian American women remained disenfranchised for decades due to discriminatory laws and practices. True equality was delayed well into the 1960s and beyond, when the Voting Rights Act of 1965 began dismantling barriers for all.

Pioneers of the Movement

A few of the many women who shaped the fight for equality:

• Sojourner Truth – Formerly enslaved abolitionist and women’s rights advocate, whose “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech remains a powerful critique of racial and gender injustice.
  
• Ida B. Wells – Journalist and civil rights leader who founded several organizations dedicated to suffrage for Black women.
  
• Alice Paul – Leader in the National Woman’s Party, who helped organize the 1913 Women’s Suffrage Parade and authored the original Equal Rights Amendment.
  
• Dolores Huerta – A labor organizer and co-founder of the United Farm Workers, advocating for both worker and gender justice.
  
• Shirley Chisholm – The first Black woman elected to Congress and a 1972 presidential candidate who championed equality across race and gender lines.
  

Their legacy reminds us that equity requires persistence, intersectionality, and systemic change.

Equity in Mental Health: The Unfinished Work

While women have made remarkable gains across industries and institutions, equity in mental health is still evolving:

• Gendered expectations often lead women to become caregivers, emotional laborers, or default problem-solvers—leaving little space for their own emotional needs.
  
• Women of color face increased stress due to systemic racism and barriers to culturally competent care.
  
• LGBTQ+ women and non-binary individuals experience heightened risks of anxiety, depression, and trauma with fewer affirming resources.
  
• Working women, especially those in lower-wage jobs, often lack access to comprehensive health benefits or paid mental health leave.

In short: we’re still bridging gaps. And that means our advocacy must continue—not just in law or policy, but in the spaces where healing happens.

Women’s Mental Health Is a Justice Issue

Here at TheraHeal, we believe that mental health is a form of resistance, especially in systems that expect women to do it all. Caring for yourself, setting boundaries, speaking up for your needs—these aren’t luxuries. They’re acts of equity.

This Women’s Equality Day, we encourage reflection not only on how far we’ve come, but on what it means to build a world where every woman has access to mental wellness without stigma, shame, or systemic roadblocks.