Community & Current Events
International Women's Day Facts You Probably Didn't Know
Photography, Lindsey Lamont, Unsplash.com
Community & Current Events
International Women's Day Facts You Probably Didn't Know
In March, we celebrate the women who paved the way for our future.
International Women's Day (IWD), also called International Women's Rights Day, is a global holiday celebrated on March 8. The day isn't just about buying each other flowers and indulging in self-care; it's about celebrating those who fought for women's rights, raising awareness of the injustices that still permeate our society and even fundraising for related causes.
As we get ready to acknowledge those who came before us and paved the way for a more just future, it's also important to learn what IWD means and where it comes from.
Here are some interesting facts that you might not know about this International Women's Day:
1. IWD was spurred by the women's suffrage movement and originally dates back to labour movements of North America and Europe from the beginning of the 20th century.
2. The earliest reported version of a "Women's Day" was organized by the Socialist Party of America in New York City on February 28, 1909.
3. Inspired by this, German delegates at the 1910 International Socialist Women's Conference proposed establishing a "special Women's Day," but no proposed date was specified.
4. The first International Women's Rights Day was observed on March 19, 1911, and celebrated by over one million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland.
5. The date for IWD that we know today, March 8, was initially established as a holiday by the Russian Provisional Government after women gained suffrage in 1917. It remained a communist holiday until 1967, when it was picked up by second-wave feminists and subsequently adopted by the UN in 1975.
6. The official colours of IWD are purple, green and white and originated from the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) in the UK in 1908. Purple signifies justice, dignity and loyalty to the cause. Green represents hope, while white stands for purity.
Although true equality is a constant work in progress and requires both introspection and compassion, remember to celebrate the women in your life: those who love you, care for you and inspire you.
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