WHY THERE SHOULD BE MORE MONUMENTS DEDICATED TO WOMEN
It’s a perilous time to be a Confederate monument in America. In the wake of violence that erupted in Charlottesville Virginia which left a counterprotester dead, public officials have hastily removed 12 monuments dedicated to the Confederacy, and a dozen more are scheduled to meet the same fate.
In light of the recent calls to take down Confederate monuments, there needs to be a discourse on which monuments we are erecting in their place.
According to the Smithsonian’s Art Inventory database, the number of U.S. monuments honoring the confederacy eclipse those honoring any other cause or group of American history. Only a mere 10% of the 5,575 outdoor sculpture portraits of historical figures in the United States portray women. The relative lack of women represented in public sculptures is deeply problematic and contributes to historical malfeasance.
Why does this matter? Because history is male-skewed. Because women have been rendered invisible and irrelevant for centuries.
To be worthy of a statue, a woman has to be a naked muse, royalty or the mother of God. Or maybe occasionally a famous symbol of freedom and virtue like Lady Liberty of New York.
But where are the statues that specifically honor individual women, that is, women with first and last names?
Although women have played indispensable roles in shaping the fabric of our nation, their absence in the commemorative context inadvertently contributes to the erasure of their accomplishments from the public consciousness. Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Amelia Earhart–just to name a few–played central roles in the larger advancement of our nation, but there are hardly any monuments that do justice to telling their story. The National Park Service lists 152 monuments in the United States and only one is dedicated to a historic female figure: Harriet Tubman, Underground Railroad National Historic Park in Maryland. While one is better than nothing, it is not even close to being sufficient.
It is imperative we tell a holistic view of history, and monumentalizing women take us one step closer towards achieving that. Monument by monument, we dismantle the notion that history is only about men and for men. It is long overdue that we teach and illuminate that women do make history. Or that simply put, women are history.
Monuments are extremely powerful symbols because they illustrate to citizens who is lauded and celebrated in society.
The fact that Nathan Bedford Forrest–war criminal, slave trader and Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan–is the namesake of seven schools in the United States, whereas only two honor abolitionist Harriet Tubman should give us pause. The fact that barely 10% of outdoor portraits of historical figures portray women should leave us concerned.
When little girls walk past imposing figures on pedestals, they automatically know they represent status and authority. If women are placed on those pedestals, we not only teach girls that women matter, we assert their agency and self-worth. By filling public spaces with monuments that honor women, we compel ordinary women to realize that just like a statue stands tall, they have the unwavering strength to thrive and prosper in male-dominated spaces.
Some public officials may argue against erecting more monuments to women because commissioning public art requires a huge diversion of funds. While I do agree it is expensive and a piece of bronze would not give us the magic fix for gender inequality, I believe it is a pretty damn great place to start. The society-wide benefits certainly outweigh the costs.
Another important benefit is that public art has the power to spark necessary conversations. This is exemplified with the case of the Wall Street “Fearless Girl,” a four-foot statue of a little girl, hands on her hips, fearlessly standing up to the “Charging Bull.” Her placement at the snout of the fuming bull, a symbol of capitalism’s unchecked power, makes the piece all the more iconic. Beyond inspiring and drawing women and girls from all over the world, her mere presence sparked important conversations.
The statue put gender inequality issues at the front and center and raised questions about the pay gap, the lack of women in managerial positions, and the underrepresentation of women in STEM and financial services. The “Fearless Girl” reaffirms that while patriarchy is built on silence, there is undeniable feminist power in storytelling and conversation.
The truth of the matter is that it is hard being a woman in America. In light of the domino effect of sexual assault allegations, the 500 missing African American girls in D.C., Hillary Clinton’s loss, women need a form of inspiration once again. Erecting other monuments like the “Fearless Girl” will not only immortalize the names of remarkable women, but it will inspire countless women and girls. We may not have shattered the glass ceiling yet, but it’s time we look upward to break the bronze ceiling.