March 8th is known worldwide as International Women’s Day (IWD); a day where the world recognises the importance of women across all industries and a day where everyone comes together to show solidarity and support for women’s rights.
The growing power of social media means there is a growing responsibility for us as a society to voice our appreciation and support for women all across the world, which is why the day is so important. It is a day to educate and enlighten those who are either uneducated or ignorant on the matter.
One of the main arguments against having an International Women’s Day that people use online goes somewhere along the lines of ‘but we don’t have international men’s day, so why do we need a day for women?’, and whilst some may argue that from a genuine place of innocence, the question itself misses the point.
Men were never historically discriminated against or limited in what they could do at the hands of society, whereas women were, and in many countries, still are.
Olympic silver medallist Morgan Lake praises IWD for what it does to eliminate stigmas about women in relation to sport. She says how she was lucky to have female sporting idols such as Jessica Ennis-Hill, and how IWD shines a spotlight on women’s sport in particular, which is crucial in encouraging and inspiring girls to pursue their dreams within the world of sport.
BT Sport pundit Sarra Elgan shares a similar message, noting how important it is that women and girls take an interest in order to turn these female athletes into the role medals that girls desperately need, which in turn increases the exposure of women’s sport and gives it the credibility and appreciation that it has always deserved.
Owen Gardner's Sports Blog 