Celebrate International Women’s Day: Stand Tall, Speak Up & Be a Badass!
Hello!
Today, March 8th, 2026, is International Women’s Day. This year’s theme, Give to Gain, encourages a mindset of generosity, collaboration, and collective progress.
International Women’s Day has been recognized for more than a hundred years, and many of the issues affecting women’s advancement remain with us today. While women’s rights have come a long way, it feels as though hard-won gains are slipping backwards.
Over the past century, women fought fiercely for the right to vote, to access education and careers, to hold political office, and to gain greater autonomy over their lives and their bodies. These rights were not obtained easily. They were earned through persistence, collective action, and generations of determined badasses who refused to accept inequality.
More recently, movements like #MeToo and Time’s Up sparked a global conversation about sexual harassment and violence, and the abuse of power. Millions of women shared their stories, and powerful men were finally held accountable.
Yet progress remains fragile. In some places, rights that once seemed secure are now being questioned, rolled back, or even eliminated. Gender inequality, violence against women, pay gaps, barriers to leadership, access to health care, and the right to choose continue to be contested. Some female politicians are even leaving public life because of relentless misogyny and death threats.
International Women’s Day reminds us that we cannot give up, especially when things feel discouraging. The work continues because of courageous, uncompromising, resilient badasses who refuse to stop pushing for equality.
Today is a great day to celebrate women’s achievements. Here are a few amazing badasses worth learning about:
Tarana Burke
Photo by Jeremy Wadsworth-The Blade.
💜 Tarana Burke is the founder of the #MeToo movement, which originally started in 2006 to support survivors of sexual violence. The movement exploded globally in 2017 and empowered millions of women to speak openly about harassment and abuse. She continues to advocate for survivor justice, accountability, and cultural change.
Cindy Blackstock
Photo by Linda Givetash.
💜 Cindy Blackstock is a powerful Canadian advocate for Indigenous children, families and women. She led a historic human rights case against the Canadian government over discrimination in funding for First Nations child welfare. Her persistence resulted in landmark rulings and billions in compensation.
Leymah Gbowee
Photo: U.S. Department of State (Public Domain), via Wikimedia Commons.
💜 Leymah Gbowee led the Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace movement that helped bring an end to the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003. She was awarded the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize for her non-violent struggle for women’s safety and participation in peacebuilding.
For more inspiration, check out:
Time Magazine’s Women of the Year 2026.
16 leaders working toward a better, more equitable world.
What Can You Do?
If you’d like to honour International Women’s Day with action, here are a few ideas:
💜 Donate
Support organizations working every day to advance women’s rights. Consider donating to your local shelter, search IWD’s Giving Directory and search for your country, or check out these organizations: (there are many additional national and international organizations)
1. UN Women
2. Canadian Women’s Foundation
3. Native Women's Association of Canada
4. Malala Fund
💜 Educate yourself.
Stay informed about the challenges women still face around the world.
💜 Celebrate achievements.
Learn the names of women who, against all odds, made a difference. Explore women’s accomplishments in science, politics, sports, media, art, and education, and share their stories.
💜 Support grassroots movements.
Many feminist organizations worldwide rely on donations and advocacy to continue their work.
💜 Show up.
Join advocacy groups, attend rallies, and write letters to politicians and corporations about inequalities.
💜 Support women.
Buy from women-run businesses, support female artists, and vote for leaders who stand for women’s rights.
💜 Call out bad behaviour.
Challenge misogyny and harmful language. Eliminate words that demean women and focus instead on uplifting our sisters.
💜 Stop victim-blaming.
💜 Remain committed to hope, justice, and meaningful change.
Women’s Rights are Human Rights.
While today is a celebration of women’s achievements, it is also a reminder that the work of gender equality must extend to everyone who experiences discrimination or violence because of their gender, including transgender and gender-diverse people.
The work continues, and thankfully, there are still plenty of badasses willing to stand up, speak out, and keep pushing the world toward greater equality.
Rejoice in yourself and others. Be bold, audacious and a badass!
Let me know in the comments below how you are celebrating today.
Anita 💜
