Celebrating Biblical Women: Fox's Unique Take on Women's History Month

While social media fills with #WomenInSTEM and #GirlBoss posts during Women’s History Month, Fox Television took a different approach this year, one that reaches back thousands of years.

The network aired a two-hour special, Women of the Bible: Forgotten Voices, Eternal Legacy, on March 25 at 8 p.m. Eastern. Rather than focusing on modern figures, the program highlights women whose stories have shaped one of the world’s most influential texts long before the idea of “women’s history” became a movement.

Executive producer Rachel Cohen said the timing was intentional.

“People talk as if women only started making history in the 20th century,” she said in an interview. “We wanted to remind viewers that the first recorded acts of courage, leadership, and strategic brilliance in Western civilization came from women whose names are still read in churches and synagogues every week.”

The special combines dramatized scenes with expert commentary, focusing on biblical figures who are often overlooked in mainstream discussions. Among them is Deborah, the only female judge of ancient Israel, who led an army to victory at a time when others hesitated. Esther is also featured, remembered as a queen who risked her life to protect her people through careful planning and courage. Ruth’s story highlights loyalty and perseverance, while Mary Magdalene is presented as the first witness to the resurrection, a role that modern scholarship has increasingly emphasized.

The program also brings attention to lesser-known figures such as Jael, Abigail, Huldah and the unnamed Woman of Thebez, women whose actions and voices influenced the course of their communities.

Dr. Lisa Feldman, a biblical scholar at Vanderbilt University who appears in the special, emphasized the broader significance of these stories.

“We’ve spent decades teaching kids that history is about wars and kings,” she said. “The Bible shows us something else: women who negotiated, judged, prophesied, and protected their people when the official leaders failed. That’s not ‘women’s history.’ That’s history.”

Fox is also offering educational resources alongside the program, including lesson materials designed for use in churches, synagogues and schools.

Here in Avoyelles Parish, where faith remains a central part of daily life from Bunkie to Cottonport, Mansura to Moreauville, these stories continue to resonate. Local churches have long relied on women who quietly lead, organizing events, teaching, supporting families and helping preserve traditions that define the community.

For many, the connection between those biblical accounts and everyday life is clear. The same steady leadership and resilience seen in those ancient stories can be found in grandmothers, mothers and community members across the parish who continue to guide and support others without seeking recognition.

The special is currently available for streaming on Hulu with a subscription, and viewers can check local listings or the Fox website for potential re-airings.

Without celebrity features or elaborate presentation, the program focuses on stories that have existed for generations, offering a reminder that women have long played a central role in shaping history.

As Women’s History Month continues, the message is simple: the story of women’s leadership did not begin in recent decades. It has been unfolding for centuries, including in communities like Avoyelles Parish, where that legacy continues today.