Life
11 #BecauseSheIsAWoman Tweets That Show Why We Need International Women's Day
For more than a century, March 8 has marked a special day for women across the globe — and today, International Women's Day 2018, is the perfect time to reflect on the women who inspire us, to lift up our fellow women, and to celebrate one another's achievements. This year, the theme for International Women's Day is "Press For Progress," and in the few short months we've had of 2018 so far, we've already seen so much amazing progress when it comes to gender equality: movements like #MeToo and Time's Up have gained incredible momentum and are evidence that, finally, real change could be on the horizon.
The importance of seeing so many women (and allies of women) empowering one another can't be understated — and even on a small scale, that kind of support can be so powerful. In honor of IWD, Twitter users have been using the hashtag #BecauseSheIsAWoman to share all the awe-inspiring things they love about women, shout out and lift up the important women in their lives, and also bring attention to some areas where we still need to make progress when it comes to gender equality.
If you're celebrating International Women's Day today (and who isn't?!), check out these 11 eye-opening tweets that highlight all the ways in which we still need to press for progress in gender inequality this — and every — year.
1Closing The Gender Pay Gap
Today might be International Women's Day, but another equally important and related event is coming up on April 4: Equal Pay Day. On average, white women make 79 cents for every dollar a man makes — and that disparity is even larger for women of color and other marginalized groups. As we work toward gender equality, closing the gender pay gap for all women is of vital importance.
2Women Never "Owe" Anyone Sex
The conversation surrounding consent has been going on for a long time, and has been getting louder and louder. One problematic attitude that needs to change? No one should ever feel entitled to sex, affection, or romantic attention from a woman, simply because they gave her time or attention — because frankly, women don't owe anyone a damn thing.
3The Fight For Repro Rights
In a perfect world, no woman would ever have to worry about whether or not she has the power to make decisions about her own body. But here we are in 2018, and the fight for reproductive rights is still going strong — and it's more important than ever that we support organizations like Planned Parenthood that want to help women gain back autonomy over their bodies.
4On Sexual Harassment In The Workplace
The Time's Up movement has recently helped to shine a bright, powerful light on just how often women — of all ages, races, and professions — face sexual harassment in the workplace, and hopefully soon, time will truly be up for that kind of unacceptable behavior.
5Catcalling Is Not OK
Ugh, if I had a dollar for every time a man on the streets told me to smile... Let's just go ahead and formally retire this favorite catchphrase of catcallers in 2018, shall we?
6Our Beauty Habits Are None Of Your Business
One of the most frustrating things about being a woman? Constantly hearing others' opinions about your appearance and how you present yourself. Bottom line? Our beauty preferences are no one's business but our own.
7Women Still Feel Unsafe
If you can't imagine what it's like to have to constantly stay vigilant and aware of your surroundings, count yourself lucky — because for many women, that's just the reality of existing from day to day.
8Slut-Shaming Exists
If there's one sexist behavior that I sincerely wish would disappear overnight, it's slut-shaming. Whether you choose to sleep with zero people or 300, how you conduct your sex life is totally up to you — and no one should ever be made to feel guilty for or ashamed of their sexual decisions.
9Gender Inequality Is A Global Issue
The most important thing to keep in mind this International Women's Day? There are women all over the world who need our help — so don't just focus on supporting and empowering those who look like or live near you.
10Female Genital Mutilation Needs To End
There are so many forms of violence against women, and all of them need to end — but female genital mutilation (FGM) is one particularly heinous example of gender violence that affects over 200 million women worldwide.
11The Fight Is Still Going
On the days when things seem hopeless or daunting, it's important to remember all the amazing women who've come before us and paved the way for all the important work we're doing now. Since the fight for women's rights first began, we've certainly come a long way — but there's still a long way to go, too.
So today on International Women's Day — and every day — let's press for progress by taking the time to reflect on all the inspirational women in our lives, and by making an active effort to be more supportive of other women. That is what girl power is all about.
