International Women’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate women and their achievements. With it comes a lot of debate. For some, the day has even become a point of contention. Here’s why the day is needed, and, more importantly, how to continue the conversations all year round.
This is a list of scenarios that have happened to me. All in a working environment.
I’ve bitten my tongue so hard it has nearly bled, while being patronisingly mansplained to.
I’ve been asked to have a meeting with a male senior manager in his hotel room.
It’s been assumed that I’d make the tea in meetings more times than I can count.
I’m always the one expected to make the childcare arrangements.
I’ve been the only woman in a meeting with 15 male investors.
I’ve had my bum groped by men at work events, repeatedly.
Over the course of my career, these kinds of experiences have been normal. Some of them were frustrating, some uncomfortable, and some were outright sexual harassment. And most of the women reading this will be nodding, thinking “yep, me too” about at least one of those scenarios.
Every year as activity ramps up, posts appear on social media questioning the need for International Women’s Day. You want to be treated equally? Why do you need a day for women? Where is the International Men’s Day? Well, that exists too – it’s 19th November.
This year as I was reflecting that things have indeed progressed, I was also reminded of how far there still is to go. That same day, I read in the news a story of an 18-year-old female who had been hired by a law firm boss because ‘she was fit’ and then given a task list that included references that were deemed in court as sexual harassment. I read about 80s DJ Pat Sharp hosting an awards ceremony and making a comment about one of the award winner’s breasts.
So consider this:
- Gender inequality persists in many areas of life, including the workplace.
- Women continue to face discrimination, harassment, and unequal pay in many
industries and professions - Just because you don’t see it directly, doesn’t mean it’s not happening.
International Women’s Day serves as a reminder that the fight for gender equality is far from over, and that there is still work to be done to ensure that women have the same opportunities and rights as men.
We all have a responsibility to improve the situation by:
- Teaching our children to demand parity in parental leave
- Championing paternity leave.
- Mentoring younger people coming into the workplace.
- Acting as visible, vocal role models.
- Calling out poor behaviour.
- Supporting women 365 days a year, not just on IWD.
Wouldn’t it be nice if the next generation of women don’t nod their heads and think “me too” at lists like mine?
That’s what having International Women’s Day is about. But like my last point says, this can’t only happen once a year. We all have a part to play every day in moving to a point where there isn’t a need for this day.
