Discover the Top 15 Fun Facts About International Women's Day: Celebrations, History, and Impact Revealed!

1. Garment Strike Sparks Women's Day

Hold onto your bonnets, ladies, because it's time to bust some International Women's Day myths: The first National Woman's Day was actually celebrated on February 23, 1909 in the United States, as a nod to the fierce women's garment workers' strike in New York City the previous year. It wasn't until 1911 when Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland decided to make it an international affair, throwing celebrations on March 19 like it was going out of style.
Source => un.org

2. Million Women Rally in 1911

Before "I am woman, hear me roar" could echo through the halls of history and even before Rosie the Riveter flexed her iconic biceps, there was a remarkable day that forged the road to women empowerment: International Women's Day made its grand debut on March 19, 1911, in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland, with over one million women and men rallying for the right to vote, work, receive vocational training, and put an end to job discrimination.
Source => un.org

Did you know Labor Day's origin involved 10,000 off-duty workers and a glamorous parade in 1882? Discover the fascinating story behind this beloved holiday!

=> Fun Facts about Labor-Day

3. Clara Zetkin Proposes IWD

While Cinderella may have had a curfew and a fairy godmother, working women had a longer leash and Clara Zetkin: this powerhouse proposed International Women's Day during the 1910 International Conference of Working Women, marking a day to celebrate lady achievements and alert the world to womanly woes in the never-ending quest for gender equality.
Source => internationalwomensday.com

4. Disco Ball of Gender Equality

Ladies, hold onto your petticoats as we time travel back to the groovy '70s: International Women's Day has been rockin' the rad disco ball of gender equality on March 8th since its recognition by the United Nations in 1975, sealing the deal with the declaration of a UN Day for Women's Rights and International Peace in '77! So let's all strike a pose for progress and join hands to out-dance the patriarchy!
Source => un.org

5. Astronaut Flute Serenade

In space, no one can hear you jam: NASA astronaut Cady Coleman brought a personal flute, a pennywhistle from Paddy Moloney of The Chieftains, an old Irish flute from Matt Malloy of The Chieftains, and a flute from Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull to the International Space Station, where she would serenade the stars in the Cupola module with its panoramic windows while floating in zero gravity, but contrary to popular belief, there was no celestial flute duet to celebrate International Women's Day.
Source => npr.org

6. Climate-Conscious Girl Power

Move over Oscars, hello climate-conscious girl power: International Women's Day on March 8, 2022, was a star-studded virtual affair featuring bigwigs like the Secretary-General of the United Nations and showstopping tunes by Angelica Hale and Broadway Singers, all to celebrate the fearless females battling climate change and striving for a sustainable future with the theme "Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow."
Source => unwomen.org

7. Italian Mimosa Tradition

They say laughter is the best medicine, but in Italy, a mimosa a day keeps the patriarchy at bay; on International Women's Day, Italian tradition involves gifting women with the vibrant and fragrant mimosa flowers, symbolizing vitality and strength since its initiation by feminist politician Teresa Mattei in 1946.
Source => romeing.it

8. Feminist Flags and Party Hats

Grab your party hats and feminist flags, because history threw a parade before it was even fashionable: The first National Woman's Day was celebrated in the United States on February 28, 1909, following a declaration by the Socialist Party of America, eventually evolving into International Women's Day which is now annually celebrated on March 8th to advocate for gender equality and women's empowerment.
Source => internationalwomensday.com

9. Eco-Chic Virtual IWD

Hold onto your hats and granny's secret recipes, for it's time to don the emerald attire of power and decision-making! In a highly eco-chic twist to a global celebration: International Women's Day 2022 will be commemorated virtually on March 8th, with the theme "Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow". The event, complete with a melodic ensemble and UN Secretary-General António Guterres, applauds women and girls for their invaluable role in climate change adaptation and response, focusing on their leadership in crafting a sustainable future. Catch this dazzling display of feminism, environmentalism, and fashionable greens on UN Web TV!
Source => unwomen.org

10. UN Adopts IWD in 1975

While suffragettes used to party like it's 1920 back in the day with women's rights and all, the globe didn't join the shindig until a tad later: International Women's Day has been celebrated since 1911, but it wasn't until 1975 when the United Nations officially recognized it, turning March 8 into a global day of raising awareness about gender inequality and supporting empowering organizations for women.
Source => realsimple.com

11. IWD Colors: Purple, Green, White

Diving into a fashionable revolution, International Women's Day combines a chic, powerful trio: purple, green, and white - sounds like a trending eyeshadow palette, doesn't it? Well, ladies and gents, feast your eyes on this: these stylish colors were adopted by the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) in the UK in 1908, with purple signifying justice and dignity, green symbolizing hope, and white standing for the slightly controversial concept of purity.
Source => internationalwomensday.com

12. Garment Workers' Courage

Once upon a stitch in time, the ladies of fabric brought girl power to the forefront of the labor movement: The first National Women's Day in the United States was celebrated on February 28, 1909, marking the courageous 1908 garment workers' strike in New York City led by the Socialist Party of America.
Source => un.org

13. Empowering Diva Anthems

From the soulful tunes of Aretha Franklin to the unstoppable beats of Lizzo, International Women's Day is every diva's chance to unleash their inner Sasha Fierce and unapologetically belt out empowering anthems like there's no man-ana: In this article, it's revealed that 53 female powerhouses have graced the music world with their uplifting feminist songs, from iconic figures like Janet Jackson to modern divas like Cardi B, and while Beyoncé's "Run the World (Girls)" might not be the official Women's Day tune, it certainly stands as a fierce shout-out to girl power across the globe.
Source => harpersbazaar.com

14. Nepal's Sisterhood Party

Nepal takes "sisters before misters" to the next level on International Women's Day, shutting down streets for the ultimate gal pal party filled with singing, dancing, and government resolutions: Nepalese women come together in droves to promote sisterhood, gender equity, and raise awareness about the dark reality that over 88% of violence against women cases reported in the country involve domestic violence or rape.
Source => globalvoices.org

15. Armenia's Month-Long Love Fest

Move over, Valentine's Day – there's a new queen of love celebrations in town: In Armenia, International Women's Day lasts an entire month, called the "Month of Glorification of Women and Beauty," during which women enjoy privileges like discounts at shops, special offers at restaurants, and even special loans at banks, with the Yerevan Municipality forming a group of young people to gift flowers to every woman on the streets on March 8th – which is also an official holiday for all working women!
Source => armeniadiscovery.com