International Women’s Day and National Barbie Day land in March! While these two days may tackle separate topics, both events honor women’s achievements and call for gender equality. In such dire times for women’s rights, holidays such as these inspire us to push forward in our efforts to promote diversity and inclusivity. Let us never forget that every woman is powerful, capable of success and much more!
March 8th marks International Women’s Day, a worldwide celebration of women’s achievements and the feminist movement. The day originated from the early twentieth-century socialist movement, during which women in Europe and the United States gathered to protest working conditions and demand equal rights. It was not until 1975 that the United Nations recognized the day as a formal holiday.
Since then, individuals of all gender identities throughout the world have celebrated this day to promote gender equality and women's rights. International Women’s Day can be celebrated in a variety of ways, such as honoring women’s contributions, participating in women-led and oriented events, and, most importantly, giving women the opportunity and space to speak freely and openly. It also sheds light on the disparities women in the past, present and future have/will experience, such as the gender wage gap, unprecedented violence and access to education.
National Barbie Day is honored the day after, March 9th of every year. It celebrates the popular Barbie Doll, invented by Ruth Handler in 1959. Ruth Handler developed the Barbie doll to specifically cater to women and femme-presenting people, and it didn’t take long for the dolls to reach commercial success.
Women across the world adored her, and Ruth was quick to expand the dolls and toy sets available to young girls and women. Over time, Barbie grew more inclusive and varied in presentation, boasting various occupations, racial backgrounds, body types and more. This allowed all women to feel seen, lifting outdated beauty standards and showing the versatility of women’s bodies, personalities, and dreams. The recently released live action Barbie only further propelled Ruth’s message of feminism and cemented its stance against patriarchal values.
Both holidays focus on celebrating women and girls across the world. While their origins are different, there’s no denying they reflect the same battle for equal rights and treatment. All in all, the days serve as a call to action, urging society to move forward in our fight to endorse and create true equality while celebrating women’s many achievements.
STEM From is a platform dedicated to encouraging young students and others on their STEM journeys. Our podcast is an overview of STEM-related occupations and research. Women such as Andrea Naranjo-Soledad, an Environmental Engineering Ph.D. candidate at the University of California, Berkeley, and Amal Dadi, a scientist from Duke University, are common guests on our ever-growing podcast. Tune in to hear more about women's STEM journeys and where they can take you!
Happy International Women's Day and listen to our podcast to hear more!
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