THUNDER BAY – Local advocates believe that International Women’s Day requires diversity of all voices and experiences to properly recognize women and femmes.
International Women’s Day, an annual day of recognition for women’s empowerment, was marked globally on Friday and included multiple events in Thunder Bay.
Lakehead University’s Gender Equity Centre organized an International Women’s Day discussion, featuring 11 speakers that shared their own unique experiences and perspectives.
Betty Wondimu, the gender equity centre’s coordinator, said a diversity of voices is essential.
“International Women’s Day, without the representation of all the voices, is not International Women’s Day,” Wondimu said. “It’s really important to acknowledge the intersectionality of different experiences.”
Celebrating the women’s rights movement with an annual day of recognition in early March originated in the early 20th century before being formally adopted by the United Nations in 1975.
Shadiya Aidid, who works for the Lakehead University Student Union’s sustainability centre, said there’s not one single particular type of feminism that’s being discussed.
“It’s celebrating women. Celebrating our successes, things we’re proud of. But at the same time, you can’t discuss things that are good without discussing things that have gotten us here,” Aidid said.
“It’s really important to highlight all of these intersections and all of these things that contribute to why we’re celebrating women and why we need to continue to celebrate women.”
Wondimu said an opportunity to look to the future about the road that lies ahead.
“It’s really important to realize the amount of movement that needs to happen, the amount of activism and the challenges we currently face,” Wondimu said. “I think it’s really important to centre different voices and also acknowledge the systemic barriers that are in front of a lot of women and femmes in our society.”
At the same time, another event recognizing International Women’s Day was underway on the Lakehead campus.
In the Centre for Advanced Studies in Engineering and Sciences, a panel of five local women entrepreneurial leaders shared their experiences about how they came to lead their own businesses.
“I think it’s important to acknowledge the different dynamic that women bring to the table. We definitely have a different perspective and different approach,” said Andrea Mulligan, the co-founder and chief executive officer of Sleeping Giant Brewing Company.
“I think in our company it’s important to celebrate and encourage it because it adds a great layer to how we do business, how we interact with each other, the employees and our customers.”
Mulligan said she hoped students can take some inspiration for hearing about the challenges that other women have overcome to lead their businesses.
“You have the ability to do whatever it is you’re passionate about,” Mulligan said.
“You have the ability to make things happen despite your economic status or where you are in your education. If you have a great idea that’s one thing but to be able to know you can take it further and what’s available to you locally and provincially, I think that’s really important.”
