Hear Me Out

Some of my friends say, “Every day is Women’s Day; we don’t need a holiday for it.”

Sure, but hear me out.

International Women’s Day (IWD) isn’t just another day. It is a day of gratitude for icons like Susan B. Anthony, Marie Curie, Rosa Parks, Amelia Earhart, Mother Teresa, Malala Yousafzai, Sally Ride, Gloria Steinem, and General Ann Dunwoody. These women, and many more, paved our path, blew through glass ceilings, and showed us what intellect, talent, courage, and grit can achieve.

It is about acknowledging the women who came before us, celebrating those helping us today and reflecting on how we are contributing - professionally and personally - to the women who will follow.

That is the essence of this day.

IWD dates back to 1911. Before then, labor conditions for women were grueling. In 1908, oppressed by long hours, low pay and a lack of voting rights, 15,000 women marched through New York City to demand change. By 1914, March 8th was adopted as the day the world would shine a light on both the achievements and the needs of women.

From there, we marched toward milestones both big and small:

• 1916: The first birth control clinic opened.

• 1920: We won the right to vote.

• 1963: The Equal Pay Act was passed.

• 1972: Title IX banned gender-based discrimination in federally funded academic programs.

• 1973: Roe v. Wade was decided.

• 1993: The Family and Medical Leave Act helped us balance work and caregiving.

• 1994: The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was passed.

  
  

From the suffragettes of the early 20th century to the feminists of the '60s and '70s, an army of icons dedicated their lives to progress. We have reaped a windfall of benefits from their trailblazing efforts.

However, by the early 2000s, the light of IWD began to fade.

We had achieved so much that many felt the work was "done." Feminism became a controversial word, often unfairly equated with anti-men sentiment. Reality TV introduced a new stereotype of "empowerment" through figures like Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian. The predominant sentiment was that equality had been won; there was no longer a need to "shout from the rooftops."

The reality was far from it.

Before we knew it, Roe was overturned and the Violence Against Women Act faced repeated hurdles. After two decades of narrowing, the pay gap stagnated - with women earning roughly 82 cents for every dollar earned by men, and women of color earning even less.

In the last decade, the pendulum continues to swing backward with the rise of the "tradwife" movement, a return to 1950s-style domesticity where women defer financial independence and decision-making to their husbands. While there is nothing wrong with staying home, there is everything wrong with surrendering agency. Once we lose financial independence, we lose everything.

For this reason, the need to shout from the rooftops remains. The need to nurture women to reach their full potential remains. The need to make feminism - the simple belief in social, political, and economic equality - acceptable remains. The need to hold lawmakers accountable remains.

So, let us celebrate women every day but use International Women’s Day to project our voice.

As for the men in our lives: having raised two successful sons, my support for them is beyond question. But they would be the first to agree that the universe is still largely tilted in their favor.

Let’s enjoy this day. Let’s celebrate where we are and let’s continue to work for where we need to be - for our daughters and granddaughters.

Happy International Women’s Day!