Are you asking yourself, when is International Women’s Day? Or what is International Women’s Day all about? International Women’s Day 2022 takes place tomorrow, Tuesday, March 8th, and it is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender equality.
This year’s theme centers on #BreaktheBias. "Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women's equality. Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias ."
So why do we need International Women’s Day? The key in celebrating this day is to have in-depth conversations on what we as individuals can do to reach true and long-lasting equality. Some key statistics below show why this is not only an important day to celebrate, but also an important day to reflect on how far we have come and where we still need to go.
- Just 8.1% of all Fortune 500 companies have women as CEOs.
- Men with disabilities are twice as likely to be employed as women with disabilities.
- The gender pay gap is real ‒ women earn an average of 32% less than men for the same work.
- At the current rate of progress, it’ll take about 135 years to close the Gender Pay Gap.
- Women’s health problems are dismissed by doctors or they are subjected to longer wait times than men. And it’s even worse for women of color.
Gender equality must become a priority for every business, as this important topic can effect employee engagement. There is no better time than International Women’s Day to take bold steps. Many organizations utilize their own DEI teams (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) to not only promote this important day but lead continuous conversations throughout the year. We interviewed our own women stars at Baudville to get their opinions on the significance of International Women's Day, what this year's theme means to them, and what challenges and barriers they see in their day-to-day work lives.
From Maggie Ramos our Inbound Customer Service & Sales Lead: " It’s important to celebrate International Woman’s Day because it’s a day to honor the contributions made to society that have helped changed the way we live now. Women have fought and continue to do so for equal rights, opportunities, and respect for women all around the world. Currently, men are prioritized so it is important to have our voices heard and amplified to be an equal-gender society. By celebrating International Women’s Day, we are not only empowering women but acknowledging that changes are still needed."
From Lori Petryk our Custom Products Purchasing Agent: "#BreakTheBias to me means gender equality, breaking stereotypes and discrimination. Just because I am a woman does not mean I cannot do the same things as a man, in the workplace and in life in general. I feel like we have come a long way with gender equality over the years, but we still have a ways to go."
From Jill Plate our VP of Operations: "Finding her personal version of life balance. It is really difficult to have a handle on the numerous elements in her life and not feel like she is being pulled too hard in any direction. The right life balance for one woman might be choosing to stay home with her kids, while another woman might choose to work full time, and yet another decides on something completely different. There is no right, or wrong decision and every woman has the challenge and the responsibility to herself to determine her own life balance and feel confident and guilt-free about her decision so she can be her best self. Also, being aware of the shadow she casts. Whether she is in a formal leadership position or she is an informal leader, she is still a leader and role model to someone. This concept is called the Shadow of a Leader and her behaviors are being observed and emulated even when she does not realize it. Think about a characteristic that defines you…. I bet you can tie that characteristic back to a significant leader in your life (i.e. a parent, a coach, a boss, etc.). We all cast a shadow and it is up to us to decide what our shadow will look like.
From Tiffany Zander our Inbound Customer Service & Sales Lead: "The biggest barrier for me was having good daycare for my kids when they were younger. I went through several different daycares and even girls that did in-home care for me. There were times that I had to actually miss work, in between providers, because I had no one else to take care of my kids. I did end up finding a great provider and stuck with her until my kids no longer needed it."
Celebrating International Women’s Day is not about giving out empty accolades. It is about raising awareness around important issues and celebrating the women who make our world great. Today, it is more important than ever that women make a big noise about International Women’s Day. Consider what your challenge might be for IWD and remember this is not just for women, men can take part too.
Celebrate International Women’s Day this year by showing your commitment to challenging inequality by taking part in the “Break the Bias” social media campaign. Take a photo of yourself crossing your hands in an X and share it on your preferred social media platforms using #BreakTheBias and mentioning International Women’s Day.
If you want more ideas and get inspired to #BreaktheBias, watch these wonderful videos at the following link
Stay up to date with #workhappy ideas and inspiration by following our blog!
Want more content like this? Subscribe to our emails!
