Every March, we take time to honor the women who have shaped our world, and this year is no exception. The 2026 theme, chosen by the National Women's History Alliance, is "Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future,” a call to recognize women who aren't just navigating today's challenges, but designing solutions for tomorrow.
A little did you know? Women's History Month grew out of a weeklong celebration organized by a school district in Sonoma, California in 1978. President Jimmy Carter issued the first presidential proclamation in 1980, and Congress eventually expanded the observance to the entire month of March in 1987.
Get involved!
Learn something new. Explore the free digital exhibits and resources at the National Women's History Museum or the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum, which has special March programming this year.
Vote with your wallet. Seek out women-owned businesses for your everyday needs, coffee, gifts, or services.
Amplify women's voices. Share their research, recommend their books, and credit their ideas in your own spaces--at work, at school, and online.
Celebrate International Women's Day on March 8th! Mark your calendar and check your local listings for events near you! #IWD2026
Women's History Month is a reminder that progress has always been driven by those willing to lead. This March, take a moment to learn, celebrate, and carry that legacy forward. 💪
2026 is shaping up to be a landmark year for women's health, one marked by long-overdue recognition, emerging research, and a growing demand that medicine finally treat women as women, not as a variation of the default male patient. Here are five health topics every woman should be paying attention to right now.
1. Heart health. Know your unique risk.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for women in the U.S., and the numbers aren't getting better. The American Heart Association predicts a significant surge in cases by 2050, with younger women increasingly in the crosshairs. One critical knowledge gap: women's heart attack symptoms are often different from men's, think jaw pain, nausea, and extreme fatigue rather than the classic chest-clutching image. Don't wait for a "textbook" emergency. Learn the signs that matter for you. →
2. Menopause. Finally Being Taken Seriously.
For decades, menopause was treated as an inconvenience rather than a medical milestone. That's changing. In late 2025, the FDA moved to remove a decades-old black box warning on hormone replacement therapy, reflecting a more nuanced understanding of its benefits and risks. Menopause is now being recognized as a serious longevity inflection point, with implications for cardiovascular health, bone density, sleep, and cognitive function, not just hot flashes.
3. Brain health and cognitive wellness.
Here's a startling fact that deserves more attention: two-thirds of Alzheimer's patients are women, and research suggests this isn't simply a matter of living longer, it's connected to what happens in the brain when estrogen declines. Women's brain health is emerging as a serious research priority in 2026, with scientists exploring how midlife hormonal changes affect long-term cognitive outcomes.
4. Chronic pain. Why it hits different.
New research suggests women experience and process pain differently than men, and it may come down to immune cells. Studies indicate that certain immune responses can make pain last longer in women, a finding with major implications for how chronic conditions like fibromyalgia, migraines, and autoimmune diseases are treated. For too long, women's pain has been dismissed or undertreated. This research is a step toward changing that.
5. Preventive care. New mandates, new ppportunities.
Starting in 2026, new federal guidelines under the Affordable Care Act will require health plans to cover additional preventive services for women at no cost, including expanded breast cancer screening with follow-up imaging, intimate partner violence interventions, and personalized navigation support for cancer screenings. If you haven't scheduled your annual screenings, this is the year to do it, and you may have more covered than you think.
Women influence 80% of household healthcare decisions, which makes staying informed not just a personal act, but a powerful one. Bookmark these resources and share them with the women in your life.
The U.S. tax code isn’t neutral.
Bridget J. Crawford, argues that it reinforces gender and economic inequality by undervaluing caregiving, privileging wealth over work, and discouraging women’s labor force participation through mechanisms like joint filing and limited child care credits. She calls for a feminist reimagining of tax policy that promotes economic autonomy, dignity, and equity for all.
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Do women and men see the world differently?
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