March is known to come in like a lion and go out like a lamb. But did you know that it is also Women’s History Month? And right at the beginning, on March 8, is International Women’s Day.
What is International Women’s Day?
International Women’s Day is a day to recognize and celebrate women’s contributions to life. Women make up roughly 51 percent of the population, but their achievements are often ignored and overlooked. History books are very male-centric, with women’s accomplishments either entirely erased or glossed over.
International Women’s Day is a global day to correct this. While we dedicate all of March to the historical impact of women in the United States, March 8 is a worldwide celebration of women.
As a side note, International Women’s Day has a website and an annual theme for those wishing to participate in the day with an organized campaign. This year’s push is #BreakTheBias.
RELATED: 8 Impactful Films to Watch to Celebrate Women’s History Month
Why is International Women’s Day important?
Asking why International Women’s Day is important is like asking why Veteran’s Day is important. Both are days set aside to highlight a select group of people. However, Veteran’s Day is for giving thanks to those who served, while International Women’s Day brings exposure to those who have historically been forgotten or ignored.
The forgotten or ignored? How so? Well, take, for instance, your science class. When learning about DNA, you may know Watson and Crick’s names. James Watson, Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins won a Nobel Prize in 1962 for discovering the structure of DNA. But do you know the name Rosalind Franklin?
She was the biophysicist that discovered DNA is a double helix — the actual shape of DNA. Her work in X-ray diffraction furthered the research on DNA by showing the crisscrossing pattern in what has become known as Photo 51. Wilkins showed this photo to Watson and Crick, and off they went. (Click HERE to read more about Franklin’s contribution to DNA.)
Why do we need to know women from history?
In short, women in history need to be known and highlighted because representation matters. It’s said a lot about the entertainment industry, but the fact is, representation matters in all areas of life. International Women’s Day helps to teach girls and women of all ages that they belong in all fields and professions.
There is also a snowball effect to take into consideration. For instance, take the recent film Hidden Figures, which helped bring the ladies behind NASA’s early achievements to the big screen.
While the movie dramatized real life, it still brought forth women that most people had not known. It sparked curiosity among many and pushed LEGO to launch its Women of NASA set. The toy (or collector set, if you choose) featured four women from NASA’s history, though not the human calculators from the movie.
RELATED: International Women’s Day: 4 Badass Women You Need to Know
The snowball in action: one book by Margot Lee Shetterly that follows three women mathematicians inspired a biographical drama written and directed by Theodore Melfi (with Allison Schroeder). This move nudged a toy company to release a product featuring four other women: two astronauts, a coder and an astronomer. In total, a minimum of seven women in four professions!
There are even more professions if you look beyond their depictions and delve into who these women were. One example: Nancy Grace Roman, shown with the Hubble Telescope and a planetary nebula, became NASA’s first female executive and was their first Chief of Astronomy!
How can everyday people get involved?
For anyone interested in celebrating or recognizing International Women’s Day, observe. Look around you and try to identify the women in your life and their contributions. Sure, some may be small, but that small thing may snowball into something bigger one day — if not for the world, then for someone else. Use the day to encourage young girls and women to follow their dreams and help them find inspiration from the past.
When the sun sets, International Women’s Day is just another day. But to all the people out there, young and old, it serves as a reminder that women belong. Women belong in every profession imaginable. History may try to suppress their existence, but it will never hide their impact. International Women’s Day is the day the world remembers and celebrates. One day, we may not need a day set aside for this. Until then, look beyond what you know to be true.
https://www.geekgirlauthority.com/international-womens-day-10-inspiring-female-characters/
- Celebrate PI DAY With Food and Crafts - March 14, 2024
- PI DAY Gift Guide: Geeky Gifts for Lovers of Pi - March 14, 2024
- Students Bring Ralph McQuarrie’s STAR WARS Concept Art to Life - May 4, 2022
