International Women’s Day…

Today, March 8, is the global celebration of International Women’s Day, recognizing women’s social, cultural and economic strides.   This post is not about religion or politics…it’s about celebrating women, where we’ve been, where we are, and where we can go…

I’ve had (have) wonderful female role models in my life, starting with both of my grandmothers.  One was warm and fuzzy, and the other was intellectual and worldly.  My mom was fun-loving and hard-working; she instinctively knew how to care for the sick and or wounded and was the best baker…ever.  My daughter is all of the above and so much more…she teaches me something new every day. I have a younger sister I wished for every year as I blew out the candles on my birthday cake…wishes do come true!  And I have nieces and grandnieces, all bright, confident go-getters, whom I’ve been so fortunate to share meaningful relationships with. Collectively, we are “The Murphy Girls“, code for “We’ve got this!”.

The wealth of friendships in my life is priceless to me, especially at this stage in my life.  This treasure trove of women enhances my life with their humour, knowledge and shared interests.  After each get-together, my spirits are lifted, and I am reminded of just how lucky I am.

International Women’s Day has been celebrated since 1911.  We must remember those women from the past, who gave it their all, so that we may have happier, healthier, and fuller, productive lives today.  The first wave of Feminism began in the late 19th century when women, the Suffragettes, fought tirelessly for women’s voting rights.  They opened that door for future generations of women to be heard and stand up for what they believe is best for them.  Canadian women gained the right to vote in 1917, the USA in 1920, the UK in 1928, and France in 1945.  The second feminist movement I was most impacted by was the Women’s Liberation Movement in the late 1960′ into the ’80s.

Women took to the streets demanding rights and freedoms not previously available to them:  access to a workforce formerly only open to men, liberalized divorce laws, the option to work if pregnant, women’s studies programs for secondary education and the big one…freedom of choice (legalized abortion).

Gloria Steinem was one of the faces of this movement and, unfortunately, the brunt of many jokes.  Nevertheless, she had our backs and forged ahead.  Even today, it continues to be two steps forward and one step back for women’s rights. I wonder how she feels today, as so many girls and women are still being suppressed.  Afghanistan no longer allows girls beyond 6th grade and women to go to school/university and restricts them in the workforce; in parts of Africa and some Arab states, some girls/women are still suffering from brutal female genital mutilation; in Iran, hundreds of school girls have been poisoned, possibly for their association to protesters against the government’s imposition on women wearing hijabs, and now millions of women in the US are in jeopardy of losing their reproductive rights.  Income inequality still prevails across the board in many professions.  Is she still a hopeaholic?   I hope we all are…there is still much to do.

Today I’m honouring us, all women, as we celebrate our day, International Women’s Day.

xox Judy❤️

And Jane Austen, one of the first feminists, gets the last word!