Introduction: Women’s history month and the history of women in neurosurgery

Abstract

Out the distress of 2020 rose many shining examples of international collaboration and the spirit and resilience of health care workers. Among global neurosurgeons, this was demonstrated when, from April to October, an international group of women neurosurgeons met electronically, continent by continent, to write the history of women in neurosurgery. The groups started with a small number of senior women, who invited colleagues, scoured social media and contacted national professional societies and even embassies to achieve as broad a representation of global women in neurosurgery as possible. Statistics and histories were collected and collaboratively collated from almost every country. The work was partly inspired by the publication of the American history in 2020 [[1]Corley J. Kim E. Philips C.A. Stippler M. Parr A.M. Sweet J. et al.One hundred years of neurosurgery: contributions of American women.J Neurosurg. 2020; : 1-6PubMed Google Scholar], to celebrate the first 100 years of neurosurgery as a defined surgical specialty. After an address in 1919 by Dr. Harvey Cushing on surgical removal of brain tumours to the American College of Surgeons, the chairman, Dr. William J. Mayo, rose from his seat and declared, “Gentlemen, we have this day witnessed the birth of a new specialty, Neurological Surgery” [[2]Grenblatt SH, Dagi TF, Epstein MH (eds): A History of Neurosurgery: In Its Scientific and Professional Contexts. Park Ridge, IL: American Association of Neurological Surgeons, 1997.Google Scholar]. The dawn of neurosurgery’s second century also marked a time when “Women in Neurosurgery” groups were springing up all over the world and networks, sometimes formal and sometimes loose, were ready to tell their story. Some of this work will be published elsewhere but we present here the bulk of the work of this extraordinary endeavour – from Europe, the Middle East, South America, Asia and Australasia – a fitting celebration for Women’s History month in March, a month dedicated to reflect on the often-overlooked contributions of women to history. The histories have many common themes; resilience, hard work, ingenuity in the face of opposition, compassion and overcoming adversity to eventually triumph. Vital contributions of women neurosurgeons to the global advancement of clinical care, research, education and social justice in their countries, are described. Also included in these accounts are valuable contributions to the arts, the military, politics, organised neurosurgery and philanthropy. Of course, these themes are not the purview of women neurosurgeons – being the same for women in every walk of life, and also for men neurosurgeons who have historically led our profession. But what makes these contributions extraordinary is the fact that these achievements come under particular conditions of being the “first” or the “only”, under discouragement and sometimes outright hostility and from a deep sense of “other” or “outsider”. We hope this historic collection will be a fascinating look back, and encouragement for neurosurgeons of the present to advocate for the diversity which leads to innovation and excellence. May these reports lay the groundwork for the increased participation of women neurosurgeons for the next 100 years, where gender equity will be essential for the progress of our specialty, so that neurosurgeons everywhere may remain relevant and valued leaders of society.