ROUTINE 
R 192046Z AUG 22 MID200080139763U 
FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC 
TO ALNAV 
INFO SECNAV WASHINGTON DC 
CNO WASHINGTON DC 
CMC WASHINGTON DC 
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UNCLAS 
 
ALNAV 054/22 
 
MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/-/AUG// 
 
SUBJ/DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY 2022 WOMEN'S EQUALITY DAY// 
 
RMKS/1.  On August 26, 2022, the Department of the Navy celebrates Women's 
Equality Day to commemorate the passage of the 19th Amendment to the 
Constitution, granting women the right to vote and affirming that women 
deserve all the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.  This day also 
serves as a catalyst for discussions about gender equality to include 
representation.  We honor those women who tirelessly persevered to achieve 
this historical milestone. 
 
2.  We celebrate heroes like Susan B. Anthony, one of the most visible 
leaders of the women's suffrage movement, who spent her life advocating for 
women's rights, lobbying Congress, and risking arrest as she paved the way 
for the inception of the 19th Amendment.  We remember Margaret Chase Smith, 
who as a member of the United States (U.S.) House of Representatives, played 
an instrumental role in the passage of the Women's Armed Services Integration 
Act of 1948, giving women equal pay, rank and privileges in the military.  We 
recognize leaders like Rear Admiral E. Seiko Okano who was recently awarded 
the Society of Women Engineers 2021 Advocating Women in Engineering Award for 
her continual support and mentorship of both civilian and military members of 
our workforce. 
 
3.  Women have long served the Nation by shattering barriers, building 
bridges, and changing perspectives.  Just in 2020, the Nation saw the first 
woman elected to the Vice Presidency of the U.S., Vice President Kamala 
Harris, following a career as a U.S. Senator and State Attorney General.  As 
a result of those who paved the path before us, the Nation continues to make 
advancements towards women's equality. 
 
4.  More than 185,000 of the DON's total force are women. The DON is 
committed to maintaining an environment where the contributions of all women 
are valued and where gender equality is wholly realized.  As we observe 
Women's Equality Day, let us maintain our commitment to society and reflect 
on the ways in which diversity contributes to the strength of our Nation. 
 
5. Released by the Honorable Carlos Del Toro Secretary of the Navy.// 
 
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