International Women's Day Is For The Men, Too

Upon reading this headline, you might be a bit frustrated with me.

"Seriously? We get this day for ourselves and now you want us to share it with the men? How typical."

Trust me, I see where you're coming from. Since literally the beginning of time, a woman's primary role was to serve the man. The redeeming qualities of a woman were not measured by her wit, her personality, her humor, or her intellect, but rather on her ability to cook delicious meals, keep the house clean, and to please her husband in the bedroom. Women were objects.

1940's Advertisement for Schlitz

1960s Advertisement for Ketchup

1940s Advertisement for Hardee's Hamburgers

I wish these ads were photoshopped, but sadly, these ran only sixty years ago. Though today's society likes to think that discrimination against women is an issue of the past, to be quite frank, they're wrong. Women are still statistically paid less than men, women are still not taken seriously in the workplace, women in relationships are still being abused, and "old-fashioned" stereotypes are still relevant today.

So, why is March 8th for the men again? Well...

It's for the men to understand their privilege.

It's for the men to change their attitudes and beliefs towards women in power.

It's for the men to see that this issue is something bigger than itself.

It's for the men to realize that feminism does not mean women over men, it means women = men.

It's for the men to wake up & fight for the rights women deserve.

And sometimes, it's hard. Men have far too often been raised with the idea that they are superior to women. They're supposed to be the breadwinner in the house, to pursue careers in STEM fields, to be the head of the family, etc. I mean, take a look at some of the gendered nouns we are using in our everyday vocabulary: manhandle, milkman, manhole, mankind. Other aspects are more subtle. Ships, cars, and motorcycles are typically assigned female pronouns and names - is it so men can possess these inanimate objects and hold dominance over them? So they can be their trophies?

Now, before any men reading this become upset saying, "This isn't a real problem" or "You're blowing this way out of proportion", thank you - you're literally proving my point with your outburst. Do not try and mansplain women's inequality to women or to undermine our feelings because truthfully, you just don't get it. Instead, what you can do is open your ears, listen to what the female population is saying, respect their goals and opinions, respect their bodies, stand up when you witness discrimination, and for the love of God, just be a good person.

Now go hug your mom/sister/grandmother/aunt/girlfriend/wife/best friend.