Hip hip hurray for International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is a worldwide event celebrating women’s achievements politically and socially. It is recognized each year on March 8.

This day has been observed since 1908. Today, it is celebrated in 27 countries around the world, and is a day where we can come together as a global community to raise awareness about gender equality, and the fight that still rages on in so many parts of the world.

Women are making more strides today than ever, especially in the political arena, where women contended for the presidential nominations in both major parties, including Democratic front-runner Hilary Clinton.

Clinton addressing Women’s Day with a statement,”On International Women’s Day, we celebrate women around the world, in all stations of life, mothers, daughters, grandmothers, teachers, doctors, soldiers, artists, workers, employers, leaders of all kinds. We celebrate their achievements and their humanity. We celebrate the progress we’ve made to advance the full participation of women in economies and societies.”

Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders tweeted, women must have full control over their reproductive health in order to have full control over their lives.

Seventh District Magistrate Judge Michelle Radford Mallard said this day is important for everyone.

Mallard sees numerous opportunities that young women have today, such as attending school and holding high power positions, and attributes the advancements to the women who came before her and sacrificed.

“They don’t even see the barriers that people my age or especially women older had to fight for and knock down,” Mallard said.

She recounts experiences she witnessed with sexism when she first started her career.

“I had friends who interviewed with law firms here in this town and were told that we don’t hire women, and that was not uncommon. Just because they were women,” Mallard said.

Mallard attended law school during the 1990 while juggling the responsibilities of raising a family.

“I often wished I had a wife during law school. Being a homemaker is a full time job. My husband was very supportive but there’s just some things women do that men don’t,” Mallard said.

Mallard hopes that one day the work women and men do will be valued equally.

“The contributions that women have always and traditionally made are valued as highly as the contributions that men have traditionally made. In other words homemaking, raising children. I hope we get to the point where we value the unpaid women’s work,” Mallard said.

However, Mallard believes we still have some work ahead of us.

“We still have never had a female district judge in Bonneville County, or District 6 and 7, so we still have a ways to go,” Mallard said.