International women’s day.

Hello, lovelies. Today is International Women’s day. A day we can all celebrate the achievements of women, and those that identify as such. But what is it this day really about? And why are women only celebrated on one day of the year? While we unite on International Women's Day to celebrate, why is it that there is no true gender equality anywhere in the world? And what does the 8th March have to do with any of this? Shouldn’t women be celebrated every day? Am I missing something or is today the day we all stand up and say, ‘no more.’ We need to celebrate women everyday! To be honest, if it hadn’t had been for Facebook telling me so, I wouldn’t have had a clue that today was all about inspirational women. I didn’t learn about this day at school. So, on doing a bit of research, I was pleasantly surprised that it has been around since it was first celebrated in 1911, in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. It was created by a woman called Clara Zetkin. And the date, 8th March, is symbolic of the historic journey women around the world have taken to better their lives. The date of March 8 was chosen for the celebration as it marks the day when women in Soviet Russia started protests for the right to vote which they were granted in 1917. A public holiday was later declared on the same date.. So why hadn’t I heard of it? I know about Mothering Sunday. Father’s Day. Black History month. Remembrance Sunday, Chinese New Year and so on. So why not International Women’s day. Why is that not celebrated in the same way? Why aren’t the shops selling us useless tat the way they do for every other special day to mark the occasion? And who would I say were my top inspirational women? I had to think hard as to who my top inspirational women were. How do you narrow it down? Does the person have to be famous? Still alive and around today? Achieved miraculous things? Or could be someone as personal to us as a friend? So here is my list of famous women that have touched my life. Malala Yousafzai. On 9 October 2012, while on a bus in the Swat District, after taking an exam, Yousafzai and two other girls were shot by a Pakistani Taliban gunman in an assassination attempt in retaliation for her activism. Seated on a bus heading home from school, Malala was talking with her friends about schoolwork. Two members of the Taliban stopped the bus. A young bearded Talib asked for Malala by name before firing three shots at her. In October 2014, Malala, then 17, was named a Nobel Peace Prize winner. The youngest person to receive the prize. Malala Yousufzai is a campaigner for girls' education from Pakistan. Jane Elliot. An American diversity educator. As a schoolteacher, she became known for her "Blue eyes/Brown eyes" exercise, which she first conducted for her class on April 5, 1968, the day after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. This, now famous, exercise labels participants as inferior or superior based solely upon the colour of their eyes. And thus, exposes the students to the experience of being a minority. She lectures on there being only one race, the Human Race, and we are all members of it regardless of the colour of our skin. She fought to show what discrimination feels like, and what it can do to people. Greta Thunberg. A teenage activist from Sweden who has become the face of the youth climate movement at the tender age of 17. In the summer of 2018, Thunberg started sitting outside the Swedish parliament every Friday as part of a climate strike. On September 20, 2019, Thunberg led the largest climate strike in history. She has become a leading voice, inspiring millions to join protests around the world. She is quoted as saying, “The time is now, there isn't a day to lose. We must unite together in this fight.” She is open about her Asperger’s, saying “When haters go after your looks and differences, it means they have nowhere left to go. And then you know you’re winning!” she wrote, using the hashtag #aspiepower. Sarah Siddons. She was the most renowned actress of 18th century Britain. Her performances at Drury Lane and Covent Garden, particularly her portrayal of Shakespeare's Lady Macbeth, stood out declaring her a master of the stage. Her performances were so powerful that audience members swooned and often had to be helped out of the theatre in various stages of distress. She was one of the first leading ladies that mastered her craft. Not considered ‘pretty’ she owned the stage and every performance, bringing dynamics and power to the stage. She paved the way for female actors to be taken seriously, who before were considered ‘Ladies of ill repute.’ So much so that The Sarah Siddons Society, founded in 1952, continues to present the Sarah Siddons Award annually. Angela Lansbury. Dame Angela Brigid Lansbury DBE, born October 16, 1925, is a British-American actress who has played many theatre, television, and film roles. Her career has spanned almost eight decades, much of it in the United States. Her work has received much international attention. Lansbury has received an Honorary Oscar and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) and has won five Tony Awards, six Golden Globes, and an Olivier Award. She has also been nominated for numerous other industry awards, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress on three occasions, and various Primetime Emmy Awards on eighteen occasions, and a Grammy Award. In 2014, Lansbury was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Maya Angelou. A civil rights activist, poet and award-winning author known for her acclaimed 1969 memoir, 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,' and her numerous poetry and essay collections. When she was 8 years old, Maya Angelou stopped speaking. She silenced her voice because she thought her voice had killed a man. For almost five years, she spoke to only her beloved brother, Bailey, believing that her words were that powerful to kill someone. In 2000, Angelou was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Bill Clinton. In 2010, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honour in the U.S., by President Barack Obama. Angelou was awarded over 50 honorary degrees before her death. Emma Watson. An English actress, model, and activist. She has gained recognition for her roles in both blockbusters and independent films, as well as her women's rights work. On Sep. 20, 2014, she was a Goodwill Ambassador for U.N. Women, and gave a smart, important, and moving speech about gender inequality and how to fight it. In doing so, she launched the HeForShe initiative, which aims to get men and boys to join the feminist fight for gender equality. She fights for the empowerment of young women. She is an inspiration to a generation growing up along side her. Kamala Harris. She is an American politician and attorney. She is the United States' first female vice president, the highest-ranking female official in U.S. history, and the first African American and first Asian American vice president. She was the first woman, first African American, and first Asian-American to become attorney general of California. She is the first African American woman to become a California Senator. She is the first woman of colour to become a running mate in the U.S. presidential elections. As well as an author of two children’s books. Her no nonsense approach has made grown men cry. And her strength, humanity and courage will be a beacon for young girls and women to aspire to be whatever they want to be. Anne Frank. Born a German national during a time where being a Jew was almost certainly a death sentence. She lost her citizenship in 1941, and she and her family were forced into hiding. In the spring of 1942, Anne’s father had started furnishing a hiding place in the annex of his business premises at Prinsengracht 263. He received help from his former colleagues. Before long, they were joined by four more people. The hiding place was cramped. Anne had to keep very quiet and was often afraid. She was a prolific writer, and penned a diary, where created a world beyond the confines of her small rooms. Her words have touched everyone. Her life may have been short, but her diary is as strong now as it was when she wrote it. Ruth Bader Ginsberg. An American lawyer and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1993 until her death in September 2020. She was the first Jewish woman and the second woman to serve on the Court. As a judge, Ginsburg was considered part of the Supreme Court's moderate-liberal bloc, presenting a strong voice in favour of gender equality, the rights of workers and the separation of church and state. She was dubbed "The Notorious R.B.G." Victoria wood CBE. An English comedian, actress, lyricist, singer, composer, pianist, screenwriter, producer and director. She wrote and starred in dozens of sketches, plays, musicals, films and sitcoms over several decades and her live comedy act was interspersed with her own compositions which she performed at the piano. Much of her humour was grounded in everyday life and included references to activities, attitudes and products that are considered to exemplify Britain. She was noted for her skills in observational comedy and in satirising aspects of social class. She is a British National treasure. And was working solidly during a time where British television was predominantly focused on men. I could go on with my list of famous exceptional women. But these were the first few that sprung to mind. They are all a reminder that while a lot has been achieved, the journey is long, and a lot more needs to be done. We need to use this day as a springboard to bring new talented and exceptional women to the spotlight. But there is another list of inspirational and exceptional women that need to be added to my list. AR. Is a woman that works quietly in the background. She is there for everyone, all the time. I know this because I was the one she helped all the time. She can make anything out of nothing. She has helped me, and many women like me, when we were at our lowest points. She not only knows where all my emotional dead bodies are, she helped me bury them. Her home was my safe home. She is strong, super intelligent and my friend. The world is a better place because she is in it. MR. I just love her. She makes me laugh so hard that it hurts. She always gets me into the most ridiculous situations. She’s caring, honest and kind. Like most women, her life isn’t easy, but she sails through it with sass. When we walk into a room together, I see that she lights it up and everyone wants to talk to her. To know her is to love her. FM. She has taught me so much. She is fearlessly loyal and honest. She works way too hard, but always has time for her friends. Mega talented, but is lacking the confidence to see herself the way the rest of the world does. What she lacks in size, she makes up in personality. I am so blessed to have her in my life. We live in a time where word can spread in seconds across the globe about the actions of Inspirational women. But only focusing on them for one day a year is no where near enough. We need to use this day to discover many more inspirational women, learn about them, and spread the word.

Greta thumberg

Jane Elliot

Malala yousafzai

Sarah Siddons

Angela landsburyMaya Angelou Emma WatsonKalama HarrisAnne FrankJudge Ruth Bader GinsbergVictoria Wood