Do You Know it is International Women's Day March 8?

I often think about all the things my mother was told she couldn’t do. Then I look at my granddaughters and think about all the things they’re told they can do.  Maria Shriver

Although the U.N. recognized International Women’s Day across the globe in 1977, in 1994, the U.S. Congress failed to pass a law introduced by House Representative Maxine Waters to declare IWD a national holiday in 1994. That was the end of that in this country.

At Alpharetta Presbyterian church today, the entire service was run by women and no men. The Women's Ensemble provided music.  A female pastor spoke and the regular pastor, a man, sat in the congregation with his wife.  It was a terrific service. 

Women in our country had to fight for the right to vote. It was a long tough battle, both physically and mentally. Even in the fifties and sixties, many women did not vote, and if they did, their votes were often determined by their husbands' views. Sadly, today many women's votes are still dictated by their husband's choices. 

 In my lifetime I have seen women gain the right to open a bank account, or have their own credit cards. A wife had to have her husband's permission to use his card, and often had to prove she had it.

Professions for women were very limited. Nursing, teaching, or becoming a secretary were the choices most girls had. My mother managed the family funds and wrote checks to pay bills, but nothing was in her name. She signed my father's name on the checks. 

Today those situations seem archaic, but women rose up in the seventies and began pushing hard for equality. Many things have changed but those victories were not accidental. And the work is not finished.

Around the world, women are still fighting for rights to control their own bodies, for equal pay, access to education, protection from violence, representation in government, and healthcare systems that study and understand their bodies. In some countries, girls are still denied schooling simply because they are female. Girls are sold by their fathers because the family needs the money. 

Today is not only a day of gratitude. It is also a day of responsibility. It’s a day to pause and thank the women in your life. Tell them you see what they carry: the invisible labor, the emotional leadership, the strength that often goes unnamed.

But also ask yourself what policies you support, what leaders you elevate, and what systems you participate in that help women. Women are needed in the board rooms to help make decisions and form policies that are fair to women as well as men. Women can lead a business, a state and even a country. 

History shows that when women rise, communities grow stronger and societies grow more just.

Read more about International Women's Day at the link below.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/heres-what-to-know-about-international-womens-day-a-celebration-and-a-call-to-action#:~:text=International%20Women's%20Day%20is%20observed,still%20used%20the%20Julian%20calendar.