The good and bad of International Women’s Day

As we all know, International Women’s Day is a time we nominate for celebrating the women in our communities and our lives. It’s a time we take to show our gratitude for the women of the world and the inconceivable difference they make to it.

As is the world now, the presence and contribution of both men and women to the day’s significance on social media can often be a joy to behold. However, there can also be times that are not so nice, mainly because of the reaction they can get.

Let’s take a look at some of the best and worst of International Women’s Day, but more importantly, let’s remember the importance of it and why we celebrate it in the first place.

The good

There are always some amazing stories to find on days like this, and one of the best this year came from the Obamas (no shocker there). They shared through the Obama foundation Twitter page a letter left for Michelle from a young woman called Sindhu about the effect the former First Lady had on her, and it’s really touching.

In honor of #InternationalWomensDay, @BarackObama shares a touching letter he and @MichelleObama received: https://t.co/osigOjDAQ9 pic.twitter.com/xussRihrDs

— The Obama Foundation (@ObamaFoundation) March 8, 2017

Anne Hathaway was also powerful in her support of the occasion and used it to her advantage, pressing home the need for gender equality and encouraging the women planning widespread strikes to “find their north”.

However, it is not only women who found ways to show support for the occasion. Prolific actor Jason Isaacs, who showed his support for the strike by emphatically telling anyone who doubted or opposed the notion of female equality to “man up”. Now that’s what I call a clever choice of phrase. Who would have thought Lucius Malfoy was such a good guy?

I'm in. And if you don't think your mothers, daughters & sisters deserve equality…man up. #InternationalWomensDayhttps://t.co/czrPZaBCjR

— Jason Isaacs (@jasonsfolly) March 9, 2017

One more example of the best that this day can bring doesn’t come in the form of a celebrity, but in the form of Richard K Herring. On this International Women’s Day, as he has for several years, he took the time to respond to every tweet mockingly asking about International Men’s Day by putting them in their place. Here are a few examples:

November 19th RT @manliketoby: When's international men's day 🤔🤔

— Richard K Herring (@Herring1967) March 8, 2017

Me too, what have you got planned for November 19th? RT @alan_gibbons: I'm so looking forward to international Men's day…

— Richard K Herring (@Herring1967) March 8, 2017

Half true. November 19th RT @grimesIoan: There is no 'international men's day' because men as a whole do not deserve to be celebrated.

— Richard K Herring (@Herring1967) March 8, 2017

If that’s not fighting back against the cynics on International Women’s Day, I don’t know what is.

The Bad

Unfortunately, there are always people that ruin the sanctity of the day with bad reactions to the sentiment expressed. That is exactly the case with Sophie Gregoire Trudeau’s message on the day, in which she expressed thanks not only for women but for their “male allies” as well.

The wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau endured a backlash from some people who interpreted the message as her shifting the attention back onto men on International Women’s Day, which it’s fair to say did not sit well.

As if that wasn’t enough of a problem for those committed to the cause of genuine equality, a group calling themselves the Australian Brotherhood of Fathers staged a protest on the streets of Brisbane in support of men’s rights, which maybe undermines the message of the day a bit.

What it is important to remember is that while there are always people who will cause a bit of a stir when an occasion like this comes around, the vast majority of people in the world are behind the cause and celebrate it in the way it is intended.