Gilmore Girls creator and executive producer Amy Sherman-Palladino once wrote, “Girl power in my mind is the power to let girls be exactly what they are. Let them be angry. Let them be resentful. And rebellious. Let them be hard and soft and loving and sad and silly. Let them be wrong. Let them be right. Let them be everything. Because they are everything.”
Such passionate words are particularly relevant in the countdown to International Women’s Day on March 8. The day is also a national holiday in several countries, including Russia, Vietnam, and Afghanistan. First observed in 1909, International Women’s Day promotes a specific theme every year to keep in mind as women’s rights remain to be hot issues all over the world. Focusing around the theme of “Step It Up for Gender Equality” in 2016, international committees have also organized events around the hashtag “Pledge for Parity.”
Here in Albany, a celebration is even being held to highlight hardworking women from around the Capital Region. Mayor Kathy Sheehan and UAlbany journalism professor Rosemary Armao will open the festivities, paving the way for keynote speaker Janell Hobson, a Women’s Studies professor at UAlbany. Dr. Hobson’s written work includes three cover stories for Ms. Magazine, two of which are “Beyonce’s Fierce Feminism” and “Shonda Rhimes: Portraying Women as They Actually Are.”
In a time when public knowledge about feminism has been stronger than ever, women’s empowerment has gained a prominent presence in the spotlight. Thanks to celebrities such as Emma Watson, who caused huge global awareness of the HeForShe Campaign, there is a greater chance for people to hear about the fight for women’s rights and the history and progress behind it. In the past year, even Siena students have taken a stance against outdated and sexist beliefs, as seen in this article.
This International Women’s Day, take the time to educate yourself about something unknown, whether that be foreign policies for or against women, the history of the suffrage movement, or local movements that work closer towards achieving gender equality. Stop by the Sr. Thea Bowman Center for Women and see how you can volunteer with the staff there. Look for the Leslie Knopes, Olivia Popes, or even Lisa Simpsons of the world for inspiration. Remember how great the women in your own life are, from friends to professors to mothers. Ultimately, take this day to be proud of yourself and all that you and your fellow women are capable of achieving in this world.