March | 2021 | Office of Wellness and Mental Health

March is Women’s History Month! This month celebrates the societal contributions of women. Beginning as a week-long celebration in California in 1978 where students engaged in essay contests, presentations and parades, this idea soon spread across the United States. President Jimmy Carter recognized the week of March 8 as Women’s History Week in 1980; lobbying by the National Women’s History Project led to congress recognizing all of March as Women’s History Month in 1986.

Focusing on the history of women’s suffrage (the right to vote in elections), this year’s theme is “Valiant Women of the Vote: Refusing to Be Silenced.” Made possible with the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920, women’s right to vote was a hard fought effort by many through marches, protests, demonstrations and petitions. The resounding argument was made that as citizens of the United States and contributing members of society, women deserve all the rights, freedoms and responsibilities afforded to men. This paved the way for quests for equality in the workplace, pay, ability to own property, medical decisions and reproductive rights, and more.

Many women, like Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Eleanor Roosevelt, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Shirley Chisholm, and Betty Friedan have been trailblazers for the equality of not just other women, but for all. Their efforts to be the voices of the disenfranchised, poor, excluded and ignored have led to changes in law, practices and societal expectations that have benefited many. Others from around the world, such as Greta Thunberg, Malala Yousafzai, Tarana Burke, Brene’ Brown, Ava DuVernay, and Laverne Cox are currently advocating for women’s recognition, visibility and overall societal growth through advocacy for the environment, LGBTQ+ rights, mental wellness, education, addressing consent and more through the use of art, science, collaboration and the like.

Learn more about Women’s History Month, and recognize and appreciate the women in your life today!

March 1 is designated as Self-Injury Awareness Day. This campaign was born out of the importance of bringing awareness to the acts of self-harm, and to destigmatize their existence. By acknowledging the acts of self-injury, we can provide empathy and understanding to its sufferers; lessen fear and silent suffering; and encourage education about what self-injury is, why it occurs, and how to address it.

Self-injury differs from suicide attempts as it is not intended to end life, rather, it is an attempt to deal with overwhelming emotions like anger, frustration, and pain. The cycle of self-injury is marked by an escalation of emotion that one feels out of control of, and they engage in a behavior that causes bodily harm (cutting, burning, scratching, hitting self, piercing skin, etc.) which brings temporary feelings of relief and calm. This then turns into feelings of guilt and shame, and a lessened effect of the chosen method of self-injury, which may lead to using a more severe method/frequent self-harm, increasing the possibility of ongoing harm and/or accidental death.

Awareness of self-injury provides opportunities for those experiencing pain to learn healthier methods to manage their emotions and crises when they occur with the aim of validating pain while preserving life and instilling hope. The stigma around mental illness and self-injury further isolates those suffering causing them and their loved ones of their voices because not knowing if and what to say can be detrimental as well. The Mayo Clinic has a thorough summation of the causes, symptoms, types, implications and methods of support for self-injury.

There is also a newer phenomenon of digital self-harm, wherein one uses memes and other online forms of expression to speak to their pain; pose as others speaking negatively of the poster/cyberbullying the poster; or making repeated commentary about self-injury and self-loathing. Visibility of these posts and gaining “likes” does not serve to support the individual in their mind, rather, it validates the despair and further serves to encourage self-injury.

Orange is the representative color of self-injury awareness, shown either through the wearing of a ribbon, or of drawings of orange butterflies on the wrist. You can show your support on March 1 by wearing orange and seeking to learn more about self-injury and how you can intervene on behalf of yourself or others. If you or someone you know is struggling, please fill out a Student in Need of Assistance Report for support through NOVA CARE teams (within the NOVA community), or contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. If you need immediate assistance due to safety concerns on campus, contact NOVA Police at 703-764-5000 or call 911 (off campus).