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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.