Women veterans have a chance to make their voices heard this week.
Capitalizing on the success of “I Am Not Invisible” and “I Am Not Invisible 2.0,” a collaboration by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Library of Congress intends to normalize Americans seeing women veterans by offering them a prominent and enduring platform to share their memories, reflections and thoughts through LOC’s National Library.
On Tuesday, March 8, at 6 p.m. EST, the Veterans History Project and VA Center for Women Veterans will host the panel discussion “I Am Not Invisible 3.0.” During the discussion, women veterans will explore the challenges they face, the communities they represent, and how everyone can be better advocates for women in the military.
A VA blog post notes that once a military uniform is removed, there is no apparent indication that these women are veterans.
“They are far from the quintessential image that springs to mind when one thinks of a ‘U.S. military veteran,’” the post reads. “In fact, it isn’t uncommon to hear about a woman veteran getting lectured about parking in a Reserved for Veteran spot or not being thanked for her service on Veterans Day.”
VA estimates that 10% of the nation’s veteran population consists of women and is the fastest-growing group in the veteran population. That number is projected to grow to 18 percent by 2040.
The discussion will be presented through the VHP Facebook page where panelists will be available to answer questions and address remarks in the comments section.
Women veterans and their supporters can also participate in the VHP by contributing their own oral history interviews with photographs, letters, memoirs, and other materials. Anyone interested in hearing these stories can search the archives.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.
