What Women’s Day Means To Me
Happy Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day! Each year, International Women’s Day has a specific theme, and this year’s is breaking the bias, which encourages everyone to stand up against gender bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. Today I’m reflecting on what IWD means to me and how I can help break that bias, too.
This is a day to both celebrate and think about the achievements of women throughout history while also acknowledging the fact that there’s still a long way to go, even right here in America. Like how in this country, women still make $0.82 for every $1 a man makes, and that number falls below $0.65 for Black women, and below $0.60 for Hispanic, Latino, and Indigenous women.
Or, how stay-at-home mothers or caretakers are thankless and hard-working roles that remain largely unpaid In fact, if women were paid the labor they’re typically not paid for, that total would be nearly $700 billion if they were paid the media wage of a domestic care worker. After 2 years in a pandemic, many women ended up leaving their jobs to care for their families and even teach their children during school closures, which often reduced their household income while undertaking a seriously challenging unpaid role!
Another glaring fact that I’m sure many women can identify with is that over half of all women in America spend over 5 hours a week doing chores around the home, like cleaning, grocery shopping, and cooking meals, while less than 30% of men spend the same amount of time on these tasks. That’s a significant difference!
So, why bring these facts up? I don’t mean to focus on the negatives, but it’s worthwhile to highlight the path we’re still creating for future generations. As a mom, I want to make sure that the world we’re living in is a better place for my daughter and my son because they deserve to have equal access to experiences in their lives. Believe me—any mother would tell you the very same!
Today, I also think of the women in this world who are fighting for the freedoms I have as a woman in America. Women who are fighting to protect themselves and their families in active war zones, or who travel 20 miles by foot each day just to get clean water. I am also thinking of the women who are fighting to live their dreams, in spite of all of the obstacles in front of them. I think of every woman who has ever felt that she can’t get ahead simply because she’s not a man.
Something I love so much about women is the inherent sisterhood that exists between us. Ask any woman who their fiercest supporter is, and they'll probably give you a list of women who have been there for them for as long as they can remember. I love taking this day as an opportunity to give my closest female friends some love, and to remind them that they’ve shaped who I am today. It’s a great opportunity to spend some extra time together with the women who inspire you and are there to help you, whether you ask for it or not.
And I also can’t help but consider the women of color within my own network who advocate for themselves and each other for a more equitable future. When we stop hearing about women being recognized as “the first female” or “the first woman of color” to receive an award for instance, or using “female” as a prefix for any male-dominated role, that’s when I will know we’re making some major strides when it comes to equality.
International Women’s Day can also become a ritual for women to turn inwards, and to connect ourselves to our own womanhood and to make some commitments to ourselves. It’s so easy for women to feel pangs of guilt when it comes to celebrating ourselves and our own successes.There’s a lot of power and rebellion in giving ourselves the permission to feel confident and proud of ourselves.
Today I’ll be carving out some time to do some mindful journaling. Want to join in? Here are some of the prompts I’ll be answering in my own exercise:
Who are the women in your life you’re most proud of? Why? When did you last tell them you’re proud of them?
Who are the women that inspire you the most?
What’s one thing I can do this year to support the women in my life and beyond?
How can I better stand up against gender bias, stereotypes, and discrimination?
What are you most proud of about yourself?
What do you wish you told yourself more? How will you commit to telling yourself that more often?
If you celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, I’d love to hear about what it means to you, and how you’ll be supporting the women in your life and breaking the bias today, this month, and every day.
xo, BJS