Around the world March 8th was International Women’s Day.  In the United States the whole month is Women’s History Month!!

Birthday Flowers Photo by Michelle Kei Ishuu

As the International Women’s Day website explains:
“From 1908, the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) in Great Britain adopted the color scheme of purple, white and green to symbolize the plight of the Suffragettes. Purple symbolized justice and dignity—two values strongly associated with women’s equality. The three colors were used for banners, flags, rosettes and badges to show solidarity.” #PaintItPurple, #MakeItHappen, #IWD2015, #internationalwomensday.

In commemoration of International Women’s Day, Emma Watson, United Nations Women Goodwill Ambassador and representative of the organization’s HeForShe Campaign, a movement that calls for both genders to advocate for equal rights, participated in a Q&A with the Facebook office in London to stress, how vital it is for both women and men to build a unified movement in order to fight for gender equality. 

Emma Watson highlighted numerous issues facing female gender worldwide, including violence, wage discrimination and stringent gender roles that are ingrained into society.  Also stating that these roles are also imposed on the male gender, and addressing them is an important step toward creating a world in which both genders are treated as equals.  

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“It’s not about men saving women, and I think that’s a misunderstanding. Women are already in the club. We’re already in the club because it’s our movement. It’s not a men’s club. It’s an equality club for both genders.”

“We’re never, ever, ever going to be able to fly as high unless we’re both in support of each other.” 

“If you stand for equality, then you’re a feminist. Sorry to tell you, you’re a feminist.”  

HeForShe Campaign is a solidarity movement for gender equality that brings together one half of humanity in support of the other half of humanity, for the benefit of all. A Solidarity Movement for Gender Equality.