Wednesday, March 8 is International Women's Day

"Women have been cut out of history, treated like property, and kept out of power. International Women's Day celebrates women rising above the inequality that they have been handed. It also reminds us that we need to continue fighting. For black women, for Latina women, for native women, for Asian women, for Islamic women, for Jewish women, for LGBTQ+ women, for ALL women." — Janet, 21-year-old DoSomething member, New York

What is A Day Without A Woman?

On International Women's Day (Wednesday, March 8), women and their allies are joining in a one-day demonstration —  A Day Without A Woman — to recognize how valuable women of all backgrounds are to our socioeconomic system and to call attention to the economic injustices women and gender oppressed people continue to face. According to the official site:

Anyone, anywhere, can join by making March 8th A Day Without a Woman, in one or all of the following ways:

Women take the day off, from paid and unpaid labor
Avoid shopping for one day (with exceptions for small, women- and minority-owned businesses)
Wear RED, the color of the labor movement, in solidarity with A Day Without A Woman
Why is this happening?

Sure, we've made a lot of progress, but women in the US still do way more housework than men do, are paid less  than men even in the same jobs, and are more likely to do tasks at work that nobody else wants to do. These economic disparities are even greater among women of color.

And, as the Day Without A Woman organizers point out, women are more vulnerable to "discrimination, sexual harassment, and job insecurity" and "trans and gender nonconforming people face heightened levels of discrimination, social oppression and political targeting."

Why does DoSomething care?

Of our 5.5 million members, all ages 13 to 25, well over half are female, and we know that young females are more likely to volunteer than their male counterparts. Females mean dedication. They mean leadership. They mean impact.

DoSomething members donating period products, cleaning up cigarette butts, and donating jeans.

When we asked members to share their feelings about International Women's Day, their responses were swift and powerful. On Wednesday, March 8, check the DoSomething homepage for more quotes like this:

"As a former victim of sexual harassment, International Women's Day is important to me because it's a day where millions of women from various ethnic, religious, and social backgrounds unite and speak against the injustices faced by women worldwide." — Bella, 15-year-old DoSomething member, California

DoSomething wouldn't be the organization it is today if it weren't for the brilliant and passionate women, trans, and gender nonconforming staffers on our team. Over 59% of our staff are women, non-binary, genderqueer, or gender nonconforming. Our CEO, CMO, VP of Business Development, and other senior leaders on staff are women.

We can't imagine our office without these passionate and brilliant staffers.

On Wednesday, check DoSomething's homepage, which we're dedicating to amplifying members' messages. On Twitter and Facebook, we'll be celebrating our women, trans, and gender nonconforming staffers — and highlighting what the office is like without them.

How can you get involved?

Of course, not everyone has the opportunity (or the obligation) to skip school, work, or other activities on Wednesday. (And if you are striking, it's important to acknowledge the privilege you have to be able to do so.) The good news is, anyone, anywhere, no matter their gender identity can support A Day Without a Woman. You could:

Avoid shopping for one day. Exceptions could include small, women- and minority-owned businesses.

Wear red. Organizers say they selected the color red to represent "revolutionary love and sacrifice." The color is also associated with the labor movement.

Join a rally. These events are taking place around the country. You could also organize your own local event.

Do a DoSomething campaign. Tackle one of our female empowerment campaigns, including:

#ReelWomen: Draw a new protagonist to expand the representation of women on screen.I Am Woman, Hear Me Score: Share stories of incredible female athletes to protest biased media coverage.Barbie Bash: Create your own Barbie to push for more inclusivity.Just Because: Make a sign to fight back against sexual assault.

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For more information about A Day Without A Woman, visit Women's March.  For updates from DoSomething, check our homepage, Twitter, and Facebook on Wednesday.

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DoSomething.org is the largest tech company exclusively for young people and social change. We're activating 5.5 million young people (in every US area code and in 131 countries!) to make positive change both online and off.