March marks Women’s History Month, which recognizes how far women have come all over the globe. The official International Women’s Day was declared in 1975 which is celebrated annually on March 8.
March is a celebration and a reminder that gender inequality is not completely resolved. According to Concern Worldwide, women still face high acts of gender-based violence, gender pay gap, poor access to healthcare, and many Afghani women are unable to attend secondary schools solely because of their gender.

“One woman in my life that I’d like to celebrate is my mom. My mom inspires me to be strong and stand for what I believe in,” freshman Lizzy Anyayahan said.
Sexism can start from small comments and develop into something more distasteful if nothing is done or said about it. The comments can range from how girls act, what they wear, or what they do. This is one problem that small communities like schools and workplaces may commonly struggle with.

“I still hear little remarks here and there from people [at school] about women but it’s just covered up as a ‘joke’ and they don’t really take the situation seriously,” sophomore Bailey Jones said.
Celebrating and supporting women can start with the ones in our lives. Simply appreciating and acknowledging them for all that they have done for us goes a long way. When you fight for women’s rights, support for loved ones can also be shown.

“Last year, I went to a women’s rights march with my sister… You got to see different women with different backgrounds supporting each other which we loved,” freshman Anahi Maldonado said.

Across the nation, marches are set up for this significant time of the year. It is a great way to get involved with your community and meet some friends along the way. Support can be given in downtown San Diego on March 8th through a free candlelight vigil and rally. Additionally, clubs on campus such as Girl Up and Half the Sky provide ways to get interacted with our community and support women with more information on their Instagram pages.