Overview:
Colorado legislators passed a resolution recognizing International Women’s Day after debate over language, motherhood and gender identity.
“Today, we are celebrating the phenomenal women that are here in the state Capitol and all around the world,” Colorado House Rep. Naquetta Ricks said Monday morning as lawmakers gathered to mark International Women’s Day.
For the eighth year in a row, the Colorado State Capitol opened its doors to members of the public to celebrate the international observance. Visitors filled the House gallery as legislators debated and voted on House Joint Resolution 26-1020, formally declaring March 8 as International Women’s Day in Colorado.
Ricks, a Democrat from Aurora, sponsored the resolution alongside Rep. Cecelia Espenoza, a Democrat from Denver. Around 10 a.m. Monday, the resolution was introduced on the House floor.
“I rise today in support of HJR 26-1020, International Women’s Day, honoring the countless contributions that women have made across the globe throughout history,” Ricks said after the resolution was read.
During her remarks, Ricks emphasized the many roles that women play in society, ranging from historic suffrage movements to ongoing efforts to advance equality, expand reproductive rights, and combat gender violence.
“The impact of women on the well-being of our state cannot be overstated,” Ricks said. She noted that women make up 75% of hospital workers, 77% of public school teachers and roughly half of all small-business owners in Colorado.
Ricks said she first proposed the annual celebration in 2018 to encourage women to engage more directly with the legislative process.
“The idea behind that was to have women come to the Capitol and get behind the scenes of what we, as legislators, do,” Ricks said. “A lot of people drive by the gold dome every day, but they know nothing about what happens here. This is called the people’s house for a reason.”
For nearly a decade, the event has invited women from across the state to the Capitol to celebrate the day and learn more about state government. But this year’s resolution also sparked debate among lawmakers.
Rep. Stephanie Luck, a Republican from Penrose, proposed an amendment to add language recognizing women’s traditional roles as wives and mothers. “This amendment would add after ‘entrepreneurs’ the words ‘matrons’ to ‘mothers,'” Luck said on the House floor.
Two other Republican lawmakers also spoke against parts of the resolution. Rep. Scott Bottoms, a Republican from Colorado Springs, said, “I do believe that the greatest, highest calling of a woman is being a mother.”
Bottoms also criticized language in the resolution referencing sexual orientation and gender identity, arguing it shifted focus away from women’s issues. Rep. Ken DeGraaf, a Republican from Colorado Springs, proposed another amendment aimed at defining the word “woman.”
“This simply allows us to nail down this definition and finally have recognition of what women are,” DeGraaf said. The amendment failed on a 22–42 vote.
Asked about lawmakers attempting to define womanhood during the debate, Ricks said women are capable of defining themselves.
“You know, it’s interesting that they would feel that they have a right to do that,” Ricks said. “We, as women, certainly are capable of saying who we are and what we want.”
After extended debate, the House adopted the resolution 44–20, with one excused absence. Following the vote, lawmakers and advocates gathered outside on the Capitol’s west steps for a press conference celebrating International Women’s Day.
Ricks was joined by several speakers, including Simone D. Ross, CEO of the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce; Dani Newsome of Cobalt; Bianka Emerson, president of Colorado Black Women for Political Action; Louise Myrland of the Women’s Foundation of Colorado; and Danielle Young-Kombo of the League of Women Voters of Colorado.
Speakers discussed issues ranging from women’s political representation to reproductive health and voter education. For Bianka Emerson, the day’s events were meant to highlight both the progress women have made and the work that remains.
“Women continue to work just as hard, contribute just as much, and yet still earn less than their male counterparts,” Emerson said. “And for Black women and women of color, that gap is even wider. These realities remind us that the fight for equity and justice is far from over.”
Women’s History Month began as Women’s History Week less than 50 years ago. In 1978, a group of women from Sonoma County, CA, decided to start teaching women’s history, which had been long overdue. Until that point, there had been almost no education about women’s history. They began Women’s History Week on March 8.
In 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued a national proclamation recognizing the week as Women’s Week. March was not officially recognized as Women’s History Month for another 15 years. Since 1995, every US President has signed a proclamation designating March as Women’s History Month.
Since its inception, Women’s History Month has focused on celebrating the achievements of female leaders throughout history. Despite disparities, women remain strong and have had long-lasting effects on national institutions that can still be seen today.
“When women lead, and when women support one another, we create change that cannot be ignored. When women rise, communities rise. When women lead, families and economies grow stronger. When women stand together, we become a force capable of reshaping the future,” Emerson said. “So today, we celebrate the brilliance, the courage and the determination of women everywhere. around the globe.”
