Celebrate International Women's Day

International Women's Day

Did you know there is an International Women’s Day? I did not, but I learned that it has been around since the early 1900s and that March 8^th has been recognized by the United Nations as International Women’s Day since 1977. I know that March is National Women’s History Month, but I was wondering how this specific day had escaped my attention?

It turns out that this occasion is much more celebrated in Europe and parts of Asia than in the United States. With its roots in socialism and the labor movement, IWD has been especially popular in Eastern Europe. First established to raise awareness for women’s suffrage and poor working conditions with rallies and marches, the momentum of International Women’s Day waned after World War I when women in the U.S and much of Europe won the right to vote. It reemerged as a significant day of activism with the feminist movement of the late 1960s.

The purpose of today’s International Women’s Day is to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women while calling for greater gender equality. This year’s official theme is “An equal world is an enabled world”. I was also happy to discover that the color for IWD is not the expected pink, but instead purple, a color symbolizing justice and dignity.

Ways that IWD will be marked this year include conferences, festivals, concert performances, digital gatherings and more. A fun way to celebrate is with awareness pins from PinMart. Even if you are not actively participating in an event this March 8^th, you can proudly wear our Women’s Equality Pin or Feminist Pin and be aware of this date’s significance and history.