International Women’s Day: Some Curiosities About This Globally Celebrated Date

International Women’s Day, celebrated today, March 8, honors the historical, cultural, and political achievements of women. The date also serves as a call to action against gender inequality worldwide.Learn about the history of this date celebrated around the worldIn the early 1900s, women faced wage inequality, lack of voting rights, and were completely overburdened at work. In response to all this, 15,000 women marched through New York City in 1908 to demand rights. In 1909, the first National Woman’s Day was observed according to a declaration from the Socialist Party of America. This was celebrated on the last Sunday of February until 1913.An International Women’s Conference was organized in August 1910 by Clara Zetkin, a German suffragist. Zetkin proposed the creation of a special date to celebrate women. International Women’s Day was celebrated the following year in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland, with over a million participants in rallies. On August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment was ratified, and white American women received the right to vote in the United States.By the end of the 20th century, when the internet became more common, feminism and the fight against gender inequality resurfaced. Now, International Women’s Day is celebrated every year worldwide on March 8.Some curiosities about International Women’s DayA survey in the United States asked: what best describes your opinion on feminism?• 45% responded that they do not consider themselves feminists• 35% responded that they consider themselves moderate feminists• 10% responded that they consider themselves committed feminists• 9% responded that they consider themselves antifeministsRanking of the 5 most popular words to describe feminism1. Empowerment 28%2. Positive 16%3. Unnecessary 15%4. Progressive 13%5. Significant 8%What does feminism mean to you?• 36%: A movement to ensure equal rights for men and women. • 28%: A movement to end gender discrimination• 19%: A movement to destroy traditional gender and family roles• 17%: A movement to grant women more rights than menWhat is this year’s theme?In 1975, the United Nations officially adopted International Women’s Day. Every year, the organization chooses a theme for the celebrations. This year, the theme is “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality,” highlighting gender gaps in education and STEM careers – and drawing attention to the online harassment that many women face.International Women’s Day In Numbers• 24%: the percentage of women in the U.S. Senate. • 29%: the percentage of women in state legislative seats. • 0%: the percentage of women as presidents of the United States. • 40 billion: the number of hours spent by women in sub-Saharan Africa collecting water. • ⅔: of the 796 million illiterate people in the world are women. • 1 in 3: women worldwide suffer violence. • 2.7 billion: the number of women who do not have the same job opportunities as men. • 82 million: the number of women worldwide who have no legal protection against workplace discrimination. • 650 million: the number of women who marry before the age of 18 worldwide.Source: NationalToday.com