Women’s Equality Day is Aug. 26th, and now as much as any year before, it deserves to be celebrated. If you’re not familiar with the holiday, Women’s Equality Day is the day that commemorates when women in the U.S. finally won the right to vote on Aug. 18th, 1920, though the day was not commemorated until 1972 by President Nixon. Every president since has also commemorated Women’s Equality Day.
So, how does one celebrate Women’s Equality Day?
-
Read Winning the Vote, about women’s fight to win the right to vote, but also read Hood Feminism because it’s important to remember that while the suffragettes won women the right to fight, they were hardly intersectional. - Donate to a good cause. According to the National Women’s Law Center, in 2016, more than one in eight women in the United States lived below poverty. That means many women cannot even afford feminine hygiene items. Houston Area Women’s Center or The Women’s Home are both good charities to donate items to.
- Highlight women leaders. Do you know someone in your life who is breaking barriers? Or maybe someone who maybe isn’t conventionally breaking through the glass ceiling but is persevering? Share an inspirational woman’s story today.
- Shop at a woman-owned business. Women weren’t allowed to own a business of their own until Oct. 25th, 1988. That’s a mere short 34 years! I would wager a good portion of people reading this blog were alive for at least a couple years before it was legal for women to have their own businesses. Here is a good resource for finding women-owned businesses worldwide but searching social media and finding a local business is a great way to celebrate as well!
- Finally, raise a toast! No, this one doesn’t help women in your community (unless you buy from a woman-owned wine business!), and no, it’s not very educational, but sometimes it just feels good to give a toast and be glad at how far we have come while preparing for how far we can still go.
Want to know even more? Check-out these documentaries on Kanopy:
Add a comment to: How to Celebrate Women’s Equality Day