For most of my life I didn't even know there was an International Women's Day. Hell, for most of my life I didn't even know what feminism was. I knew that I had female role models that I saw as almost untouchably strong, and I knew that most of the people I admired were strong women (or really great artists, but that's neither here nor there). As I got older, a lot of my education and reading really started sinking in and I now proudly own my brand of feminism.
As such, International Women's Day has a profound affect on me. I don't think that women should celebrate in the traditional way-with booze, cake, and questionable mixed company. Those can certainly be parts of your day, but the best way to honor the women who paved the way (and are still working their asses too pave the way, because face it, it ain't 100% equal yet! Far from it!) is by being awesome. Work hard at your job. Continue harvesting those quality relationships of any gender. Dress to impress yourself, no one else. Love yourself. This is what the women who lived, worked, loved, and died so that you could do even better for yourself really want; to know that it was worth it.
In addition to turning up my already fairly high awesome factor a few notches, I also plan on meditating on the triumphs, loves, and lives of the women I admire, so feel free to take a few minutes of the day to be the same; remember though, that what they want, what they worked so hard for, was for you to try to pull their strength and power into yourself.
Feel free to share some of your "power women" that make you inspire you to work harder, accomplish something, and love yourself. Mine include but are absolutely not limited too Eleanor Roosevelt, Eve Ensler, Joan of Arc, and a handful of real-life women. More on that later :)
Peace, passion, and love.
I have a really long list, too, but at the top is my mom. She left a battered home and poverty behind to get her PhD and be extremely successful. My sister, because she fought her way out of a terrible marriage and found herself in the process. My sister's wife because she was the rock my sister needed when times were hard. Ginger, because she kicks ass. You, because you're off actually living your dreams, even though it's difficult. J.K. Rowling, Diablo Cody, Eleanor Roosevelt, Amelia Earhart, Natalie Portman (because she has a degree from Harvard on top of being a successful actress), all the suffragettes that were jailed and tortured in search for the vote, all the suffragettes who weren't jailed but marched, or wrote, or sang. And the list goes on and on. Woot for women!
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