International Women’s Day is a globally renown day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. Yesterday was International Women’s Day, but I thought I would share a bit about this day and my thoughts on its purpose.
In the early 1900’s, women were suffering from inequality and oppression. This treatment soon lead them to campaign for change and demanding increased pay, shorter work hours, and the right to vote. Women began standing up for their rights and advocating for themselves. In 1910, Clara Zetkin proposed the idea of International Women’s Day. Today, this holiday is official in China, Russia, and Macedonia to name a few places. It has become a tradition of men honoring the women in their lives, this including their colleagues, mothers, girlfriends, and wives, with small gifts or flowers. This is such a big holiday, that in some places, it is known as an equivalent to Mother’s Day!
This day got me to think a bit about women in our society. Today we aim for equality among men and women, but that’s not always the case. We still see evidence of gender stereotypes and the idea that there are things girls still can’t do in the workplace. In the early 1900’s, women would fight to get the right to vote, but now, in 2010, can we say that we are equal just because we have the same rights?  Are men still surprised when they happen to see a woman as a construction worker or the CEO of a business?
Looking ahead, I would try picturing everyday as International Women’s Day. Everyday is a day in which both genders should be equal and women should be honored for their contributions to society.
To learn more about International Women’s Day and read more about its past, click here.  Take a look at the video on the webpage as well.
What do you think about this day? Have you ever felt that men and women are not equal?
