International Women's Rights Day is a symbol of social, cultural, historical and political struggle.
Every year, March 8th allows us to remember how proud we are. Proud to be a woman, proud to be free, proud to be emancipated, and proud to be courageous and ambitious.
So yes, one day in the year is not enough to celebrate the struggle that every woman goes through on a daily basis; but it is important to remember how we got here...
Officialized by the United States in 1977, this day originates from feminist claims led by women in order to reduce inequalities compared to men.
A struggle led on the European and American continents that allowed women to make their voices heard.
Concerning France, let's go back to some key dates. It was in 1944 that women obtained the right to vote. Then, in 1965, we had the right to open a bank account and to exercise a professional activity without the consent of our husbands. Then, in 1975, the right to abortion was legalized and divorce by mutual consent was allowed.
Therefore, it was in 1982 that the first International Women's Rights Day was organized, and it is no longer commonly known as Women's Day. It is not to celebrate women, but rather to take stock, to exchange, to discuss and to realize the place we occupy in today's society. Then, to put forward the efforts and initiatives of each woman.
These important dates have allowed the behaviour, habits and lifestyles of all French women to evolve.
Indeed, we have mentioned political and social changes, but it goes far beyond that: we see an evolution of women's rights in all fields. In the world of sports, cinema, politics, medicine, as well as in the world of fashion...
So, although achieving total equality between men and women, and fighting against sexism are battles that we must continue to wage day after day, today we can be proud of the image that women have in the 21st century!
