International Women's Day 2011: 100th Anniversary

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/08...32631.html

March 8 marks the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day, a celebration of the economic, political and social achievements of women past and present that is observed around the world.

The first International Women's Day was held in 1911 in Germany, Austria, Denmark and Switzerland. Then, over a million men and women attended rallies to campaign for women's rights to work, vote and hold public office.

This year over 200 events are slated to occur in the U.S. alone.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will host the 2011 International Women of Courage Awards Ceremony with First Lady Michelle Obama. The awards annually recognize women across the globe who have shown exceptional fortitude in advocating for women's rights and empowerment -- often at great personal risk. This year's recipients include women whose occupations range from blogger to head of state.

"I believe that the rights of women and girls is the unfinished business of the 21st century," Clinton told Newsweek in a recent interview.

Though the road to gender equality may still be a long one, International Women's Day is an opportunity to meditate on how far women have already come. In honor of the event's centennial, The Guardian asked women of all ages, from 15 different countries across the world, to share the changes they've witnessed.

"I come from an ethnic Chinese family where the women went from bound feet to Rhodes scholar within four generations," said Regina Yau of Malaysia.

According to Howa Bio of Sierra Leone, "I look next door, to Liberia, and its president, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf: perhaps with faith and determination, it is possible for us women to achieve anything we set our minds to."

The Daily Beast and Newsweek have compiled a list of "150 Women Who Shake the World," but we, at HuffPost Living, want to know who fills you with "faith and determination." Which woman -- whether she's the First Lady or your mother -- inspires you?

Thread is in The Speakeasy as we'll answer the question at the end of the article - which woman/women in this world, be it the First Lady or your mother, inspire YOU?

Happy International Women's Day!

To be honest none. This isn't me being sexists it's just that I rarely see women presented as the grand individuals people like feminist would like me to believe. Now don't get me wrong there are women who've made some astounding accomplishments, but especially currently I don't think anyone could realistically deny most women in the media could more or less be reduced to a pair of tits because that's how they're treated...

I would much rather take a moment to commemorate a specific achievement of a specific woman on the day she actually did something impressive, rather then lump them all together and give them a little medal.

Except for Mother's day, being a good mother is good enough to get a holiday for because every mother is celebrated. But today every woman wants to get celebrated?

Yes yes thank God you got that X gene from your Dad and not his Y gene. Let's hit the clubs tonight in celebration of our 50% chance achievement.

My mother's best friend, May.
She stepped up to help me and my little sister and my little brother when my mom passed away from ovarian cancer. She had kids of her own and lots of problems that go with it but she was there for us just the same. I don't know how she managed to do it all. If I can become half the woman she was, I'd be happy.

Well, i don't really think that way. It's not like giving them a little medal for doing absolutely nothing. But being born knowing they have to work more to earn less than men for absolutely nothing. I hate any sexist groups, feminists tend to make it look like that men are much inferior due to X or Y reason. And it's as stupid as machists. Women deserve this day due to what occured, it's a holiday not only because of the incident, but to make us remember that even today, women are threated as inferior beings for absolutely nothing. It has been like that forever, and it's not going to change too soon. But it's important to remember that it still exists.
A 50% chance will determine your life, the fact you'll have to work twice, to earn much less of what men get.

The holiday deserves it's existance tho. More than 100 woman being burnt up alive in a factory for just demanding equal salaries and equal rights surely deserves a place in the calendar.