The beginning of March marks the beginning of Women's History Month, and specifically March 8th as International Women's Day. According to the official International Women's Day website, March 8th is "a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future."
This day is set to remember the suffragettes worldwide who protested, campaigned, and made their voices heard in order that women everywhere in the world would gain the equality and rights they deserved in order to make their voices heard. In some countries, such as China, Vietnam, Russia, and Bulgaria, International Women's Day is an official national holiday.
It's not just a day to remember the past, though. It is also a time to call attention to the fact that despite the efforts and many accomplishments of our suffragette ancestors, that there are still issues that need addressing--wage gaps, legislation regarding women's health, gender equality, the disturbing trend of cyberthreats and violence shown towards feminism, transgender women's rights, etc. As many accomplishments that have been made with regard to women's rights, there's still room for more.
For more information regarding Women's History Month, or International Women's Day, check out some of these resources:
- The International Women's Day Official Website
- International Women's Day 2015 #MakeItHappen
- The National Women's History Project
- Time Magazine's article on International Women's Day
- UN International Women's Day 2015
- UN International Women's Day WomenWatch
- Women's History Month Official Website
- History Channel--Women's History Month
- OCFPL Women's History Month Subject Guide
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