International Women's Day

March 08, 2022

As you may know, today is International Women's Day.

I am going to give you a break from politics today to write about some women that deserve more than they were given by history.

1. We have all heard about Rosa Parks, but have you heard about Claudette Colvin? Nine months before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, 15-year-old Claudette Colvin was taking the bus from school. At school that day Claudette had been learning about the Underground Railroad, Sojourner Truth, and Harriet Tubman. A white woman approached her and told her that she wanted her seat. Claudette refused (she had paid her fare just like everyone else) and she was hauled off the bus in handcuffs by two police officers. Later in life, she was asked why she wasn't as well known as Rosa Parks. She felt that as a teenager her words wouldn't be taken as seriously.

2. Autumn Peltier is was born in 2004 on Wikwemkoong territory, a first nation on the banks of Lake Huron. She is the Chief Water Protector for the Anishinaabe. She first became an advocate for freshwater access when she was informed by her mother of a 20-year boil water advisory for a nation not far from hers. She had spoken in front of the Assembly of First Nations in 2016 when she presented Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with a copper pot. While she was not given time to deliver her prepared speech she was able to confront the PM on his record of freshwater promises that his government has broken saying "I'm very unhappy with the choices that you have made and broken promises with my people. I don't think he should have made that promise because now I am going to hold him accountable."

3. Malala Yousafzai is probably the best known on this list. Malala was on her way to school when she and two other female students were shot by a member of the Taliban. Before the shooting Malala had been an outspoken critic of the Taliban for many topics, mostly though of their decision regarding the exclusion of females from education. Instead of silencing her though, she became arguable the most famous teenager in the world at the time and went on to be the youngest Nobel-Prize Laureate. She also became an honorary Canadian and became the youngest person to ever address the Canadian House of Commons. Even now Malala is still fighting for the rights of females all over the world.

I could write about inspiring women for a long time. And you may notice that the above women were very young when they began their fights. We need to learn from and lift each other up. We will get to equality together.

There will be no surprise as to who I pick to feature for the music today. Nina Simone was an incredible fighter for civil rights. Nina was born in 1933 and lived through the Jim Crow south. She performed and spoke at civil rights meetings including the Selma march. She fought for women's rights as well. Her song Four Women spoke about Eurocentric (read: white) beauty standards. While I celebrate all of Nina, I felt this song was more speaking to today.

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