Seriously. This really is the first year I’m celebrating International Women’s Day.
I bet this is true for many people for a couple of reasons….
In the U.S., International Women’s Day (IWD) hasn’t been much of a thing. We put a lot of energy into Mother’s Day – and for all the right reasons – but we haven’t set aside a day to celebrate all women, the way much of the rest of the world does. What I love about IWD is that it truly honors all women, including those who are not mothers. Other countries recognize this day with celebrations, speeches, gifts for menopause, and thanks – and most importantly, with conversation around the important roles women play, the value of their contributions, and the challenges they still face. I think it’s time the U.S. did too.
We’re at a time culturally where many groups of people who feel oppressed as a result of our new administration or other societal changes are rising up to change things. International Women’s Day gives us another platform to make life better for women. By celebrating, we’re choosing not to be victims but to use the momentum and the energy that comes with feeling put-down to actually rise up.
And for me personally, IWD speaks to my inner passion for women’s and girls’ empowerment. That’s what’s behind every bit of effort – the tough and the fun – I put into Gennev.
You see, there’s a special energy that happens when women come together. It’s almost unexplainable. I’ve felt it over the past few weeks in events I’ve been involved with, and in the 1:1s I have with women – sometimes to network, sometimes to chat about Gennev and our mission to be the solution for women heading into menopause, or simply to catch up over coffee or a cocktail.
We’re on the rise, and today is another day to recognize our growing power and influence, and even more importantly, to activate in the things you believe in – adequate healthcare, equal pay, investment in women-owned businesses, having a seat at the boardroom table, and even being an equal parent and at-home partner with your significant other.
I capped off the day with a magical evening at the International Women’s Day Celebration, Seattle. My dear friends Kate Isler and Nickie Smith pulled it together for 500+ women and men in Seattle. And now, as I write this, I’m jamming to Star Anna, who closed the evening with some of the most heartfelt lyrics I’ve heard in a long time.
I celebrate the women who will read this post. I celebrate women supporting women, and I celebrate everyone’s efforts to honor women. Because we need each other, and today is just another reminder of that.
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