My perspective on International Women's Day

I’ve been thinking about what International Women’s Day means to me, a Milwaukee woman.  It’s a far more celebrated event, even a holiday in other parts of the world.  And then I started comparing U.S. women to others and we don’t have much to cheer about. 

The Ms. Foundation reported today that: 

• The US ranks 37^th in gender equality among the world’s 42 most highly developed nations
• The US ranks 64^th globally with a 19 percent wage gap between male and female full-time workers
• The US ranks last among the world’s top 11 industrialized nations in both infant and maternal mortality
• One in three U.S. girls are sexually abused before the age of 13

Why do we do this – compare ourselves to our counterparts in other countries – I asked myself?  Duh, it’s because women are the bell weathers of community prosperity.  Everyone knows that infant mortality. which is dependent on the well being of women, is a global indicator for overall community well being.  (Seems to me more leaders ought to be paying attention to this.)

But International women’s day wasn’t created so that we could determine the best places in the world for women.  (Sweden sounds great.)  The goal was to recognize our important connection to one another.  I think that it’s an annual reminder to care about the struggles of one another, even those that are not our own personal struggles. 

It’s a reminder of our responsibility to one another—the reminder that for any of us to enjoy real prosperity, it’s not ok to leave any of our sisters behind.  We have a responsibility to work across issue silos, zip codes, and even national borders.  Here at the Women’s Fund, I’ve been witness to Latinas caring about black infant mortality rates; African American women involved in immigration issues; Christian women demanding that others respect Muslim women and their families; and women working for economic justice caring about what happens to women in local mental health care facilities.

And it’s a reminder to behave everyday in ways that support other women.  I borrowed these reminders from Julie Gilbert at Wolf Means Business: 

• Build up other women
• Nominate them for the next promotion
• Give them a glance of support during their presentation
• Reach out to help when they stumble instead of walking away
• And jump for joy at individual and collective achievements! (this one is mine)