International Women's Day 2023: What to know about the day and how to #EmbraceEquity

Mike Snider, USA TODAY
·4 min read
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By hugging yourself today, you can show solidarity with women across the world on International Women's Day.

To celebrate the event, people are being asked to embrace themselves – as a public show of their pledge to embrace equity, which is this year's International Women's Day theme – and share the image on social media, video and elsewhere.

By doing so, participants "encourage others to help forge an inclusive world," the International Women's Day website rea

"The aim of the IWD 2023 #EmbraceEquity campaign theme is to get the world talking about 'Why equal opportunities aren't enough'," the website reads. "People start from different places, so true inclusion and belonging require equitable action."

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What (and when) is International Women’s Day?

Observed annually on March 8, International Women’s Day celebrates the global “social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women,” according to the event website.

The day also calls for action to advance gender equality.

When was International Women’s Day first celebrated?

International Women’s Day emerged from women’s rights movements in the U.S. and other industrializing countries during the early 1900s.

The Socialist Party of America declared the first National Women’s Day in 1909. It would be observed on the last Sunday of February until 1913.

The following year, at the second International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen, Denmark, the idea of an International Women’s Day was proposed and approved. The event was observed on March 19, 1911 in several European countries, with rallies and events calling for women’s right to vote and an end to gender discriminations.

Since 1914, March 8 has been the fixed date for International Women’s Day; it was moved to be in line with Russian women who celebrated the day on February 23 on the Gregorian calendar. The United Nations first recognized International Women’s Day in 1975.

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Participants in an International Women's Day demonstration march in 1977 in New York City.
Participants in an International Women's Day demonstration march in 1977 in New York City.

How do we celebrate International Women’s Day?

You can join in many in-person events across the U.S. including a 25th International Women's Day Breakfast in Boston and the Chicago Financial Women happy hour networking celebration event.

There are many virtual ones available, too, including:

You can search for events on the International Women's Day website.

Last year’s campaign theme #BreaktheBias focused on individual and collective biases against women that fuel gender inequality.

What is the theme for International Women’s Day 2023?

This year’s theme is #EmbraceEquity, which draws a distinction between equity and equality.

"If we give everyone the exact same thing, expecting that will make people equal, it assumes that everyone started out in the same place – and this can be vastly inaccurate because everyone isn't the same," the website reads.

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International Women's Day is not just about women, the organizers note. "We can all challenge gender stereotypes, call out discrimination, draw attention to bias, and seek out inclusion," the website suggests. "Allies are incredibly important for the social, economic, cultural, and political advancement of women."

The campaign asks that people show their support for this year’s theme by striking the embracing pose with their arms hugging their shoulders and to post selfies on social media with the hashtags #IWD2023 #EmbraceEquity.

People can also submit their selfies to the International Women’s Day website.

What colors do you wear on International Women’s Day?

People have traditionally worn purple on International Women’s day.

Purple, along with green and white are considered the colors of International Women’s Day, according to the website. These colors have roots in the United Kingdom’s Women’s Social and Political Union from the early 1900’s.

Contributing: Orlando Mayorquin.

Follow Mike Snider on Twitter: @mikesnider.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: International Women's Day 2023: This year's theme, how to participate