Why International Women's Day Still Exists

False. Media portrayals are not always accurate, fool. 

International Women's Day is coming up on March 8th, and I've seen some compelling arguments about why this day should not exist. I've heard some people reason that feminists are the enemy, that feminists want superiority and hypocritically promote double standards. I've heard that celebrating a day for women isn't equal since men don't have a special day for them. Another popular argument stems from the notion that feminists think all men are rapists and pedophiles. Still another would say that men and women are just naturally different and so should naturally excel in different areas. Others insist that we have, in fact, reached equality and that feminists are beating a dead horse (so to speak).

I could (and probably will someday) argue against each of these points categorically and critically, but for now I just want to drop a tiny bit of knowledge. And it is this: If you know a woman over 85 years of age, she was not born a person.

Just take a minute and let that sink in.

I'm sure this is a thing, but it ain't mine. 

When people argue that we've reached equality because women can vote and work, they are simplifying the issue to the point of ignorance. Humans have existed for tens of thousands of years, and women have only been considered persons since 1929 (in Canada (this varies in other countries...but not by millenia)). That is less than 100 years, and I am to believe that all our issues have been resolved within this century? Such a notion is actually laughable. If humans have been around for 20 000 years (homo erectus (feel free to laugh at this Rachel/Joey style)), then women have been persons for 0.425% of that time span.

Every system we currently operate under was created by a man. Our government, our business infrastructure, our education system. It was created by men with men as the target, the customer, the consumer. The entirety of our culture has catered to men for thousands of years. Feminism is not about succeeding under a patriarchal society - it is about systematically creating a new and unbiased system under the morality of equality of rights and privileges.

My shoveled driveway would beg to differ 

Understand that this means men's rights as well - feminists have been influential in creating paternal leave and rights for the father. They work to undo the stigma stay-at-home dads feel just as they work to undo the stigma a full-time employed mother feels. And yes, they fight for themselves, largely because the vast majority of men are not fighting for women's rights.

Up until the 1983, a husband could legally rape his wife. It was viewed as a marital right, not a crime.

Women are given prescriptions for heart disease and high cholesterol that were only ever tested on men.

A man is a Mr. Whether he is married or unmarried, his title does not change. A woman is dealt the hand of choosing Ms, Mrs, or M and each is saddled with varying stereotypes.

When a man reports a sexual assault or rape, his story is not questioned because as a society we cannot perceive why a man would lie about this.

For centuries, marriage vows ended with "I now pronounce you man and wife". A man is always a man. A woman is a daughter, then a wife, then a mother.

Pornography is largely filmed through the eyes of the man, and ends with a male climax. Men's faces or voices are rarely seen and heard, as the focus is always on the woman's body.

Advertising normalizes objectifying and demeaning women:

Her face doesn't matter, he's getting what he wants

The perfect date: a man's shoe against your jugular

Nothing sexier than gang rape

Glorified clothing rack - good to know women serve two whole purposes

These are just some examples that I can list off the top of my head.

It is not enough for women to survive in a man's world. We are trying to thrive in a new world - not one catered to women but in one that does not oppress.

And that is why we have International Women's Day - educate yourself.