By: Aishu Senthil International Women’s Day celebrates women all over the world and their contributions to society. But why is it celebrated on March 8th? And how did it all begin? International Women’s day is not the same as National Taco Day or International Dance Day or World Wish Day, for it is a holiday with a deep history steeped in civil rights movements, fighting for women’s solidarity and gender inequality. Most people have heard of International Women’s day, but not many know of National Women’s Day, which was the predecessor to this globally celebrated holiday. National Women’s Day was established in 1909 by the Socialist Party of America. They agreed to recognize the last Sunday of February as National Women’s Day in America, and February 28th, 1909 marked the first of such a commemoration of women. This would become a bigger holiday, however, in 1910 and during the second International Conference of Working Women which was held in Copenhagen. A woman named Clara Zetkin (Leader of the 'Women's Office' for the Social Democratic Party in Germany) proposed the idea of an International Women's Day, wherein every year in every country, there would be a celebration of women on the same day to press for their demands. The conference of over 100 women from 17 countries, representing unions, socialist parties, and working women's clubs, greeted Zetkin's suggestion with unanimous approval. Thus, International Women's Day was born. This revolutionary day was honored the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on March 19, 1911. More than one million women and men attended International Women’s Day rallies campaigning for women's rights, from working to voting to be trained and holding public office to ending discrimination against women.
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