We Should Stop Celebrating 8M

The truth is, I'm not ashamed to admit it: I was the kind of person who gave chocolates to all the women in the office just because it was “THEIR DAY.”

Why did I do that? Simply because my whole life I’d been wearing a series of strange filters imposed by society. Very sexist filters, of course, that only allowed me to see Post-it notes with motivational quotes about a woman’s beauty instead of seeing the whole story behind them.

If you want to know the reason behind it all, you've come to the right place.

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Let’s go back in time…

Not so long ago, women had no say in our education, our finances, our right to vote, or even our own bodies and motherhood. And this was despite the fact that our life expectancy was lower than men’s due to the childbirth practices of the time.

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At least in México my country), it wasn’t until 1953 that women were granted the right to vote (andmore recently, in 2011, for women in Saudi Arabia). So my grandmothers were among the first women to vote… I know!! MIND BLOWING.

International Women's Day has been observed on March 8 since 1975—NOT as a day to celebrate ourselves simply for being women, but to highlight the lack of freedom, equality, and rights that we still face in society.

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Commemoration or celebration?

To be clear, it is important to distinguish between these two concepts. “Commemorate” is used for any event, whether sad or happy, festive or somber. On the other hand, the term “celebration” is used only in the context of a joyful, festive occasion.

March 8 is not a day of joy because we continue to face injustices against women. The alarmingly high numbers of femicides, harassment, missing women, and disparities in pay and employment opportunities mean this is not a day to celebrate. In fact, March 8 owes its origins to a series of protests and significant events that have taken place throughout history in the month of March.  

So before you give us flowers or chocolates, dedicate quotes and poems to our beauty (because we don’t exist just to be pretty), or simply congratulate us for being women, remember that there are better ways to show solidarity with the cause.

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Celebrating International Women's Day

On March 8, marches, work stoppages, and various types of protests take place around the world, organized by women and women’s groups.

Regardless of the gender you identify with, whether or not you’re a woman who celebrates International Women’s Day, here are some ways to show your support for the cause:

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• Give us the day off so we can take to the streets to protest.
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• Help create safe spaces to share what we need: Many women continue to face various social injustices, so on that day (and every day of the year, really), please be open to listening and offering help if they need to get out of a difficult situation.
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• Make a change: If you’re in a position of power at work or in your family and you think you can bring about change, DO IT.
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• Let the conversation flow: If any of the topics discussed that day don’t align with your beliefs or values, it’s best not to censor them and to listen more. Everyone’s voice is valuable and important, and this is a day when free expression should reign rather than oppression.
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• We don't look any prettier when we stay quiet: If there’s something that bothers or hurts you, think of this day as the liberating moment you needed to talk about everything that’s causing you pain. Lend an ear to those women who need to be heard.

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Everything our ancestors did continues to have an impact today, to the point where I, as a woman, am now writing this for a global community. My voice is being heard thanks to them, and I know that by doing this today, future generations will have better opportunities than I do.

This blog post isn't just for the opposite sex; it's for everyone who wants to be better informed this March 8th about how to take action and amplify the message we've been advocating for years.

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FOR A WORLD WITH MORE WOMEN WITHOUT FILTERS

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Do you want your team to feel safe having these kinds of difficult conversations? As part of The Failure Program, we offer a variety of online courses, workshops, and private events, as well as a survey that will assess how your company is handling psychological safety and failure. Share your information with us, and let’s start working together to make failure work for you.