Remarkable Women Whose Stories are Rarely Told

By Andrea Newberry, Clinical Intern & Rachel Bhagwat, Director of Growth & Engagement

March is Women’s History Month. NAMI Chicago celebrates the many women who make our work possible, and also recognizes that many groups are often excluded or forgotten in women’s movements, including racial and ethnic minorities, members of the queer and trans communities, and women living with disabilities.

That’s why for our Women’s History Month blog, we are celebrating a sampling of the remarkable women throughout history whose stories are rarely told. Join us as we highlight 6 women from underrepresented identity groups who gave their lives, bodies and lived experiences to create the foundations of mental wellness, like the ability to live free from fear and oppression, and express their true identities.

Their stories span centuries and rarely fit the linear definitions of mental health work, but their work on healing, identity representation, rights for marginalized communities, and health equity have made it possible for future generations to work toward what we now consider wellness. Keep reading to learn more.

1. Tan Yunxian (c. 1461 – c. 1554):

Physician during the Ming Dynasty in China. Tan Yunxian was one of the first doctors to take women’s health issues seriously, specializing in gynecology, pediatrics and obstetrics, and often treating women whose symptoms came from stress and overwork. She rebelled against the norms of the time by leading her own practice and publishing a book, “Sayings of a Female Doctor”.

2. Zitkala-Ša (1876-1938):

Lakota Musician and Author. She wrote several works chronicling her struggles with cultural identity and the pull between the majority culture she was educated within and her Dakota culture into which she was born and raised. Her work on the topics of the intersections of gender and identity, and candid sharing of her personal story, lay the groundwork for consideration of intersectionality in mental health frameworks.

3. Luisa Capetillo (1879-1922):

A Puerto Rican feminist, Luisa was a strong advocate for the rights of women to have representation, live free of oppression and express non-traditional gender identities. She fought for the foundations of workplace wellness - the rights of laborers to have a safe workplace, living wages and fair hours - and continued writing and advocating even after being thrown in jail for her beliefs.

4. Margaret Charles Smith (1906-2004):

One of the old-school "granny midwives", who worked primarily in rural areas of the South with Black women who were often in poor health. Through a holistic approach that included considering women’s mental health pre- and post- partum, she lost very few of the more than 3000 babies she delivered, and none of the mothers in childbirth.

5. Marsha P. Johnson (1945-1992):

An outspoken advocate for gay rights, Johnson was one of the prominent figures in the Stonewall uprising of 1969, founding member of the Gay Liberation Front and co-founded the radical activist group Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR). It would not be possible to do mental health work within the trans community if individuals like Marsha had not first fought for their experience to be legitimized, seen and valued.

6. Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw (1959-present):

Critical race theorist who developed the theory of intersectionality. Kimberlé’s work is the foundation for understanding of how race, gender and other overlapping identities play into a person’s experiences, which has been critical for creating space for women of color in mental wellness work, as well as understanding inequality, discrimination and stigma.

Know more remarkable women in history who helped create the field of mental wellness? Comment on our social media posts or send us an email to info@namichicago.org!