International Women’s Day is this Friday, March 8th; a day of celebration of women and the diligent, courageous work countless women have done throughout history, and are still doing today, throughout the world to ensure basic rights and equality in all aspects of life. But this day is not merely a day of recognition and celebration; it is a movement. It is a call-to-action for all women, everywhere, to recognize what has been accomplished throughout history and the real choices they have today because of the work of our foremothers, and to also see what is left to do, and to have the vigilance to take action going forward in history.
A Little History on International Women’s Day
As of today, International Women’s Day is an official holiday in many countries, including Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Russia, and Vietnam, just to name a few. Although this day is not officially recognized or celebrated here in the US (although March is designated as Women’s History Month), I do personally celebrate it. I have come to think of International Women’s Day as my sort of Mother’s Day. I do not celebrate Mother’s Day, not having biological children and having grown up without a mother; in fact, for most of my life, I had a very hard time getting through Mother’s Day. But International Women’s Day is different.
International Women’s Day is a celebration of women, of equality, and of moving forward; past patriarchy and into greater equality in global legislation and more visibility of women as role models in every aspect of our lives. Because I am invested in the admirable work being done by women everywhere to achieve true equality, and because I am dedicated in helping to work towards that goal, I celebrate International Women’s Day. I celebrate by calling my grandmother and my aunt, to wish them a happy International Women’s Day, and to thank them for being unwavering pillars of knowledge, strength, and support for me in my life. It is because of them that I am who I am today; that I know so well the trials that women have faced and overcome throughout history that have resulted in me having the rights I enjoy today.
To learn more about International Women’s Day, visit the official website.
LELO Soraya Luxury Vibrator Giveaway
LELO, the world’s leading designer brand for intimate lifestyle products, and one of my personal favorite brands ever (seriously, I have loved every single LELO product I have ever met), is helping us celebrate International Women’s Day all week long!
A brand committed to empowering women around the world to celebrate all of the wonderful achievements in women’s rights and equality, have so generously offered up one of their most popular products for us to give away to one lucky Woman Tribune reader–the LELO Soraya.
The LELO Soraya is an absolutely beautiful dual-action vibrator that delivers multiple pleasures in a sleek and seductive package. With an ABS core and wrapped in body-safe silicone, it is fully waterproof, rechargeable, and allows full control of vibration intensity and features 8 unique vibration modes with two pleasure points for combined internal and external stimulation.
This giveaway will end on International Women’s Day, March 8th and is open worldwide, ages 18+. To enter use the Rafflecopter form below.
For a second chance to win a LELO Soraya vibe, head over to the LELO Facebook page and enter their International Women’s Day giveaway as well!
No compensation was received for this publication, though a thank you gift was provided for hosting this giveaway. All opinions are my own.
My mother inspires me. She lost her husband in 2000 from lung cancer and even though her heart was breaking she kept on going for us. She has survived breast cancer and stage 4 kidney disease and now is going through demensia but is keeping her head held high no matter what life throws at her.
My friend’s inspire me. Too hard to pick just one. They are all such good mothers and work so hard.
My sister has always been the strongest female figure in my life. She’s my sister, my mom, and my best friend. I have more memories of my sister and I than I do of my mom and I. My sister picked me up from day care, changed my diapers, taught me how to crack my knuckles and cross my eyes, teased me like a typical big sister would, and shared with me in secret her first tattoo. I was the first person she told when she eloped with her first husband at age 21, and she is the one I always go to for support and encouragement. She bought me my first teddy bear, Patches, who I still have to this day, from the St. Vincent de Paul thrift store. We share a love of books, second hand stores, and hilarious movies. I don’t know what I would do without my sister. I still want to be just like her, and I even try to walk, talk, laugh, and act like my sister. Even though there is more than a ten year age difference between us, we share the same regrets and sorrows about our mother, and we have connected through that pain above all else.
I am thankful for everything,so sad to see what I have and others don’t…
My mom would be the person for me. She had a stroke over a year ago. She lost her memory and has had to learn how to do everything again. Her memory never returned but she is learning to remain positive and build new memories with her family.
Thanks for sharing about IWD! Nice giveaway!
My mother is my inspiration!
She helped me and my sister in every difficult moments in my life and she will be my best friend for all my life. Thank you
One of my friends – against odds like horrible family life growing up, abuse, choices leading to single motherhood, she got saved and made her life something to be proud of and now inspires others to do the same.
my mom was a huge inspiration to me. My dad didn’t want her doing much other than being the ‘housewife’ but she stepped out and did her own thing. She stood up for herself.
When I was growing up, my grandmother was just my grandmother. She taught me basic things like phrases in Japanese, how to use chopsticks, how to eat everything that was put in front of me. Because she wanted me to, I had to attend language school on the weekend. As a child I didn’t understand that my grandmother had a past. When I was about 13 my family visited the internment camp she’d lived in during World War II. But even that wasn’t the whole story. It wasn’t until I was in college that my aunt revealed that my grandmother had never, ever spoken about the war to her children. You couldn’t expect my grandmother to just talk about her life; you had to ask her specific questions to elicit responses. I’ve been learning about my grandmother’s life my whole life – just random pieces at a time, like the fact that thanks to the war, she can’t stand applesauce. She’s outlived her older brother, her sister-in-law, her husband, her brother-in-law, and most of her friends. Despite all of that, she is incredibly resilient – despite being in her late 80s, she’s still travelling to Japan, gardening, taking care of a little dog, and making trips to Vegas. Even with looming health problems slowing her down, she’s just made necessary adjustments in her life. Even though I don’t always feel like I share common ground with her, I am incredibly proud to be her granddaughter.
Watching my mothers bravery in fighting a disease that she lived with for eight years had a huge impact on my outlook on life. Her bravery and fighting spirit during those years of treatment has probably been the one most inspiring thing in my life.
She lost her fight last year but I will always remember just how hard she fought and how she never gave that up for a second despite how hard the treatment was. She was and is a huge inspiration to me and everyone who knew her.
My mom inspires me to be a good person & do the right thing because that’s how she’s always been.
I have a friend who inspires me. She’s been battling cancer and always has a positive spirit. Even when she was first diagnosed she made the decision to fight and doesn’t let it get her down.
I would have to say my friend Nicole. She lost both parents when she was 17 and had to leave her school and friends and move across state to live with grandparents. Today she is the most level headed sweetest person i have ever met. She had a rough go at things and she never let it get her down. She is an amazing person and inspiration to me always!
My mom. she has the strongest backbone that I know of. when going gets tough, she never gets going. She never gives up. And plus the woman can change the car tires, oil, and even a muffler!
My grandmother is a major inspiration. She’s a breast cancer survivor who’s always on the go with her crowd of bffs since childhood, plus with her iphone in hand she can do absolutely anything. I hope I’m half as awesome when I’m her age.
My maternal grandmother is the one woman in my life who has inspired me. She and my grandfather started farming even though my grandfather was in the Canadian navy and would be deployed often. Despite this she managed to raise 4 children and run the farm as well as do volunteer work and much more. She is an amazing woman who inspires me everyday.
I work with a lot of women who manage to do it all a number of them on there own
My first boss Karen, inspired me to become a complete person at work I owe her a lot!
My mother inspires me the most! She’s always been there for me and now is raising my nephew and I really appreciate her strength <3
My mother, she juggled a lot while having three kids and working and always cooking dinners and managing the household.
I think that my good friend Holly has inspired me quite a bit. She is great when it comes to blogging and I appreciate her no nonsense attitude. Though she is a few years younger than me it is her forthrightness that forced me go get over my shyness and get My first vibrator so its actually quite fitting that I am talking about her for this entry. I always say that I am too young to talk to her about sex but I’ve learned so much
My best friend is a great influence. She has been thru a lot and still sees the positive in everything.
My niece is a great influence on me and on others. She isn’t afraid to speak her mind and is always there to help others in any way she can. She is energetic, artistic, free-spirited and beautiful and I am proud to be related to such a wonderful young woman.
There’s a lady I’ve become friends with from the campground. She was diagnosed with breast cancer and beat it. I’m inspired by her strength and courage through it all. Thanks.
partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com
Erin Gruwell. She is such an inspiration to me. she is hard working and dedicated. she has made a difference in people’s lives, students’ lives.
My grandmother inspires me. She had seven children. Lost two children as toddlers. Lived in six different countries. Was chased out of most of those countries by war. And still kept her dignity and pride. She was a strong woman. A survivor. She is my idol.
Katharine Hepburn. She was a strong woman in Hollywood long before there was such a thing.
My mother is my biggest inspiration. She gave us kids a great outlook on life. She is the most positive person I know and doesn’t worry about the small stuff. She taught us to have good morals and ethics and that hard work will bring great rewards. She worked 2 jobs for many years and gave us a good life. She is my biggest role model and I strive to be like her. I consider myself lucky to be her daughter!
My wife inspires me. She has suffered with mental health issues and just last year watched her mother loose a fight with cancer but she has remained strong throughout it.
It is my mother who inspires me. She is one of the few people in my life that has always been there for me.
Helen Keller is an inspiration. I don’t know how I would have handled being in her shoes.
My mom inspires me. After being a stay-at-home mom for 16 years her husband walked out on her. She didn’t have a high-school diploma, had no work experience and had four kids to care for. She started taking classes to learn basic computer skills, got her high school equivalent and started working at the bottom of the ladder at an insurance office sorting files. She worked her ass off, was a fabulous parent to me and my siblings, and now, 15 years later she is in a great position at the same company and owns her own home. She is a wonderful grandmother to my 8 month-old son. She didn’t give up, she faced her fears and she did it all by herself. For these reasons she is an inspiration.
my mom for all of the sacrifices she made for us
the person who inspired me was my grandmother. She was a strong woman. She only went through the 8th grade, but she read constantly and encouraged me to read as well as continue my education.
My Mother in Law. She is just a great person, knows what I am going through, and loves me like one of her own. She gives me the attention I never got from my parents and stepparents.
I know this is absolutely crazy but… Chelsea Handler has inspired me because she makes no apologies or excuses for being herself. And she’s brutally honest!
I have a specific (unnamed here) friend who inspires me to always try even when it hurts. she is an amazing woman/mother/wife/friend/daughter/sister, etc