some thoughts on international women's day

In high school my parents have had each of us kids take a personality/job placement test.  Back then, I thought I wanted to go to a small, conservative Christian school where I could be surrounded by people who believed the same thing I did.  But the counselor we met with after my test told me to go to a school that was the exact opposite: big and secular.  I thought he was absolutely nuts and dead-wrong.  Now looking back, I see that he was completely right and am so glad I listened to him. So far in college my beliefs and opinions and stances have been challenged and stretched and shattered.  And though it has been an exhausting, painful, numbing experience, I am so grateful for those tests, as they have helped me understand why I believe what it is that I believe (and I'm sure I'm no where near being done being tested on those beliefs. yippee, eh?). 

Last semester I took my first Women's Studies class: Women, Politics, and Public Policy. It was so eye-opening.  I went into the class completely set against Feminism and the idea of Women's Studies.  Women were equal, right? We could go to college, and vote, and work. Weren't feminists bra-burning, men & children hating, radical lesbian activists, anyways? Ha. Looking back at those thoughts supports the idea that I should be at a large school.  

The course taught me so much and I decided to declare Women's Studies as my minor as I became more and more passionate about the study of women and the fight for true equality.  I am not quite the feminist that I described above (although give me someone who believes our journey is over and I can quickly turn into some of those things).  While those feminists do exist (and I think it's important that some of them do in fact exist), I would label myself as a feminist: someone who believes that women are just as deserving as men, that we are just as capable of making decisions that directly affect our gender, and that we are just as just as deserving, just as willing, just as driven, just as smart, just as special as men. 

In our patriarchal society, I think it is very important to have an entire day where we celebrate women internationally.  To me it's really sad that we have to have a Women's Studies minor/major, because it shows that our history is not being equally taught in our history classes.  If we were to look at women's roles during the wars, women's roles during crucial periods in our history, etc. if we really, truly, honestly looked at women's history alongside "American History" courses, then there would be no need for Women's Studies.  And the same goes for African American Studies. Or LGBT Studies. Or any other minority group whose history is being left out of "American Studies" all throughout grade school and in collegiate classes.  But until we are being taught these things, there will be a need for these majors/minors. 

"International Women's Day is a time to remember and celebrate the social and political achievement made over the years for this gender, as well as bring awareness of violence against women and discrimination, which unfortunately is still happening around the world" (taken from here). I believe we still have a ways to go. However, women have contributed so much to help us get to where we are today, and I think it's very important to celebrate those accomplishments. From the windshield wiper, to street rolling machines, to the circular saw, to disposable diapers, to an engine muffler, women have helped contribute IMMENSELY to our society. Oh, and they birth every child that enters this Earth (have you ever truly thought about that? So. Cool.).

My confession:  It's in these classes where I feel as if I'm actually learning something worthwhile: the history of my gender.  It makes me proud to be a woman, proud to bear that title.  I will continue to advocate for women's rights, for more women to be in power to control what happens to women's bodies, for women to get equal pay, to break stereotypes of women at home, in society, and in the work place until we see those changes occurring. Happy International Women's Day and month. 

And for those who are wondering when 

International Men's Day is, it's November 19. 

You didn't think our society would forget about them did, you?! 

and an interesting article on why we still should celebrate this day: