Every year, the month of March is dedicated to women. I adore Women’s History Month, because not only is it a chance to celebrate the women who have changed history and helped give me the rights I have, but it’s also an opportunity to celebrate the women of today and bring attention to the gender inequality that still exists. It is a month that reminds me to keep fighting for justice because real change starts with people like us.

However, I worry that having a day and month to celebrate women sets a precedent that it is okay to continue taking our women for granted. What happens after the month of March is over? Sometimes it feels like as soon as spring begins, the world falls back into the norm of accepting the patriarchy, and everyone suddenly forgets all the good that women have brought to this world and all the inequality that women are facing on a daily basis. It’s similar to how every year I buy my mom flowers and make her breakfast for Mother’s Day, but as soon as Mother’s Day ends, I forget that I should continue to thank her for all of her hard work even though it's so obvious that one day a year is not enough to celebrate the nineteen years of her life she has spent putting me first.

Part of feminism, part of respecting women, and part of the road to equality no matter what gender, race, socioeconomic status or sexual orientation a person is, is continuing to incorporate the celebration of women into the rest of the year. Women’s History Month, along with Black History Month and any other month that observes certain people or events, are crucial because they give us entire months throughout the year to draw attention to serious social issues. But the problem is that we aren’t making any progress if we don’t bring the ideals of these months into the rest of the year.

So, yes, please continue to quote Gloria Steinem and march for women's rights in your respective city during the month of March. But please do not forget to continue to do those things throughout the entire year. Powerful women sparked social change in the past and more women create change every day. We need to, as a society, appreciate women's efforts and contributions as part of our day to day, instead of solely having one month to remind us of the incredible strength of our gender.