International Women’s day. Today, the 8th of March, we join in solidarity to celebrate and commemorate the efforts, both past and present, to create a world of equality. We take this day not purely to acknowledge that while we live in a world whose history can at times showcase our worst parts, but today, we take a moment to relish in all that we have overcome as a society. We look to a future of prosperity and share gratitude for how far we have come. The call for change is a call for a change in mentality. Until the day where we all are treated with equal respect, the respect required to be given to any human, only then will we be reaching the promise lands of equality. While we have a fair way to go, we have to appreciate where we are. The journey is long and hard and a moment of solace to remember those before us and to appreciate our present will fuel us further. It is an ethereal thing to have a day dedicated specifically to relishing in the success of ourselves and others. Coming together to create a community of love and respect is something that as a society we should be very proud of. So today, on International Women’s Day, we take a moment to recognise the courage to challenge a system and the integrity to stand up for your rights with humility and compassion. I look to the women before me and am filled with awe; to be a part of a world that has people that push for equality and acceptance and do so with the same respect that they are fighting to receive is astonishing. These women have paved the way for the next generation; understanding that we cannot demand respect and compassion and equality if we do not give it out.
Feminist: A person who believes in the social, politically, and economic equality of the sexes.