An ode to women

In the game of chess, the queen is the most powerful piece. She is vital to the game’s success, and without her, it can be difficult to win. While the king is known to be the most important piece to capture, its effect on the game is minimal. The queen is the strongest, yet still underappreciated.

To honor Women’s History Month, we’d like to take the time to celebrate some incredible women and their contributions to our world. As a community, it’s important to take a step back and remember the powerful, influential and overlooked women who are the backbone of society and our modern-day world.

When people think about innovators in today’s society, they often think of Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates and other pioneers who are considered the creators of modern technology. What most people don’t consider is that behind the scenes of many innovations, there was usually a woman involved. Yet she’s rarely publicly credited.

This pattern of women’s credit being stolen is so common that it has a name: the Matilda effect. According to Scientific American, the Matilda effect is when women, specifically in the scientific community, do not receive recognition for their discoveries and work; instead the men in their field receive credit. The term was named after suffragist and abolitionist Matilda Joslyn Gage, who famously said, “Although women’s scientific education has been grossly neglected … some of the most important inventions of the world are due to her.” In the case of the Matilda effect, this refers to the fact that the patriarchy puts women at a natural disadvantage.

Hedy Lamarr invented frequency hopping technology and allowed for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to exist. Everyday people across the world mindlessly connect AirPods to their phones multiple times. The name you may think of in relation to this habit is Steve Jobs. However, Lamarr’s design was crucial to the creation of all Apple products. She did not receive any money for her invention despite her major contribution in the development, and was not largely recognized until after her death. Revolutionary in advancing wireless technology, the name Hedy Lamarr should ring through your ears every time you put on Bluetooth headphones.

Like Lamarr, many women have been overshadowed due to the patriarchal systems in their lives. Despite this, women outside of the science and technology field have also achieved major milestones in different ways.

the people’s politician.” She opened up a new set of doors for aspiring young women of color in the world of politics, encouraging a new generation to achieve their goals.

Dora Richter was one of the first recorded transgender people to undergo a male-to-female sex change. Early on, Richter identified more with feminine clothing and social norms. As she grew older she felt more drawn to fully living as a woman. Richter was arrested by authorities various times for cross-dressing. Nine years after her initial surgery, as technology progressed, Richter underwent surgery to fully transform her body to be biologically in line with her identity. After her passing, the story of Richter’s bravery and perseverance blazed a path of inspiration for many transgender women now and to come.

Kamala Harris was not only the first woman to be elected as Vice President (VP) of the United States but also the first woman of color to do so. Harris previously served as a Senator for California and has been in politics and public service for many years. She served as a Deputy District Attorney in Oakland, California and specialized in violence, drugs and sexual abuse. She continued her legacy of breaking norms for women of color by being elected as Attorney General of California in 2010 and, most recently, by becoming VP of the U.S.

Women can be recognized just as easily as men; it does not take energy to give credit where credit is due. When society repeatedly fails to acknowledge these women, we fail women everywhere. Recognizing the daily triumphs of women is necessary. All people should be acknowledged for the work they’ve done. Let’s remind ourselves that Women’s History Month is not the only time to highlight important women: women should be celebrated and appreciated every day because being a woman is powerful enough. Thriving and living in a system that is built for men will always be an accomplishment. You don’t need to invent Bluetooth or become Vice President to be a strong woman – your existence is plenty. Every day, a queen puts a king in checkmate and, without her, the game couldn’t have been won.

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POLICY: All editorials are unsigned and have been approved by the majority of the Bark staff.

Shirley Chisholm was the first Black woman elected into Congress in 1968. Chisholm advocated for civil rights for women and people of color – she even earned the nickname “Fighting Shirley.” Chisholm served seven terms in Congress and once said, “I am

A BARK to the Oscars. We’re glad the only hits we saw this year were the best films.

A BITE to the price of Outside Lands tickets. They cost more than a Lil Yachty.

A BARK to April. Time to fool you!

A BITE to the weather recently. Phuck that gopher Phil.

A BARK to college decisions coming out this month. This stress has us MARCHing to our email every day.

Have an opinion regarding anything that appears in the Bark or in general? We encourage our readers to submit letters to the editor. Letters to the Bark should be 500 words or fewer, typed if possible and signed. They may also be emailed to bark@redwoodbark.org.

A BITE to Branson’s recent MCAL wins. This is a load of bull.

A BARK to prom coming up. Time to find a date PROMptly.

A BITE to the boys’ mullets; y’all need to re-LAX and get a new haircut.

A BARK to gingers who celebrated St. Patrick’s Day. “Irish” you had a good day!

A BITE to the rain. That walk to the portables is HAILA crazy.

A BARK to the Cardi B and Offset’s McDonalds’s Meal. Those ‘Bodak Yellow’ arches are looking good.

A BITE to men. It’s women’s history month.

BARKS and BITES are the collective opinions of the BARK staff concerning relevant issues. BARKS are in praise of accomplishments, while BITES criticize decisions or events.

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