In the US, the UK, and Australia, March is Women’s History Month. On March 8, International Women’s Day is celebrated, according to TIME magazine.
In his proclamation, US President Joe Biden honored the brave women paving the way for a more equitable society.
These ten unexpected facts about Women’s History Month will help you understand:
1. The origins of International Women’s Day in Europe:
Some reports place the holiday’s inception in a 1909 garment workers’ strike in New York City, although Europeans didn’t formally recognize it until 1911.
2. Russian Revolution influence:
When women in Petrograd protested and the Tsar abdicated in 1917, March 8 gained prominence during the Russian Revolution. In 1921, Clara Zetkin developed the idea of International Women’s Day.
3. Women’s History Month’s local beginnings:
Founded in 1978 as a celebration of women accomplishments in Santa Rosa, California, the National Women’s History Alliance later helped the event grow nationwide.
4. The route for federal recognition:
In 1980, former US President Jimmy Carter recognized National Women’s History Week as a result of advocacy spearheaded by the National Women’s History Project. In 1987, Women’s History Month received congressional sanction.
5. Annual presidential designation:
In recognition of the continuous fight for gender equality, US presidents have declared Women’s History Month every year since 1995. In 2011, US President Barack Obama drew attention to its origins in the centuries-old struggle for parity for women.
6. The National Women’s History Alliance has an annual theme tradition
In 2024, the topic will be “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.”
7. Differences around the world:
Women’s History Month is often observed in March, but Canada celebrates in October. Every nation observes International Women’s Day according to its own customs.
8. Status as an official holiday:
International Women’s Day is recognized as an official holiday in China, Serbia, and Albania, granting women the opportunity to take a half-day off.
9. Symbolic colors:
The colors purple, green, and white represent International Women’s Day, which dates back to the early 1900s suffragists of the Women’s Social and Political Union.
10. 2024 will see a focus on abortion rights:
The Women’s March organization has scheduled a march for March 26, which falls on the same day as the Supreme Court’s hearing on laws pertaining to abortion pills. This event will address a crucial subject following the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade.
I am a dedicated student currently in my seventh semester, pursuing a degree in International Relations. Alongside my academic pursuits, I am actively engaged in the professional field as a content writer at the Rangeinn website.