Women strike in support of ‘A Day Without A Woman’ March 8

WomensMarch.org led a strike March 8 called, “A Day Without A Woman.” It was held on International Women’s Day in an effort for the world to see life without a woman’s presence and how much impact they have on a daily basis.

Women were encouraged to participate in “A Day Without A Woman” in any of the following three forms: take the day off from paid and unpaid labor; avoid shopping for one day (with exceptions of small, women-and-minority-owned businesses); and to wear red to show solidarity. The Women’s March selected on the color red because it signifies revolutionary love, sacrifice, energy and will to survive, while also promoting ambitions and determination.

“The goal is to highlight the economic power and significance that women have in the U.S. and global economies, while calling attention to the economic injustices women and gender nonconforming people continue to face,” Womansmarch.org stated on its website. “We play an indispensable role in the daily functions of life in all of society through paid and unpaid, seen and unseen labor.”

The Women’s Rights Movement  has a long history. It wasn’t until 1870 that women had the right to own property. Before the Married Women’s Property Act of 1870, anything that was gifted to or inherited by a woman was her husband’s property after marriage. Fifty years later, women were granted the right to vote through the 19th Amendment in 1920. The U.S. has supported International Women’s Day since 1909.

For “A Day Without A Woman” strike, women all around the world were encouraged to take action; a Letter to Employer was created for women to use as their excused work note. For those women who simply could not afford to miss a day at work but still wanted to show their support, they were encouraged to wear the color red.

Men were also encouraged to support the strike. Men had multiple ways to participate; they could wear red, just like women, or “better yet” live life in a woman’s shoes for the day. For example, if a man was partnered with a woman, he could do all her chores and daily tasks to see what effort it takes to complete all that a woman does in one day.

In the U.S., “A Day Without A Woman” did not gather the same show of support as January’s march. People did gather in protests, and several schools in the Washington D.C. area closed because so many teachers and staff requested the day off. The biggest show of support seemed to rally behind wearing the color red for the day.

“I will be wearing red in support of the movement, and I have planned to support a local business owned by a woman of color, ”said Andrea Baldwin, lecturer in communication, in preparation for International Women’s Day.

Baldwin was an active supporter in the Women’s March Jan. 21 and has been involved with other civil rights activities.

“I participated in the Women’s March in January, I volunteered at local women’s shelters and participated in other civil rights campaigns,” Baldwin said.

At UHCL, faculty representing the Women’s and Gender Studies Program, in honor of International Women’s Day, gathered with other faculty and staff together in the Atrium I at 10 a.m. to show their support. They wore red for International Women’s Day, some also wore white with purple armbands in support of women’s suffrage in the early 1900s.

“Purple is one color that feminists wear to indicate their political beliefs about equality for women,” said Sharon Hall, professor of psychology.

Christal Seahorn, lecturer in the writing program, decided against canceling class on Wednesday because of midterms, so she wore red to show her support.

“I spent money at local women-run businesses,” Seahorn said.

Seahorn stated the options given to support were well structured.

“I applaud civil protests movements,” Seahorn said. “I was concerned that the concept ‘A Day Without Women’ was an option only for women in positions of privilege who could afford to no go to work. I was glad to hear of the adjustments to the movement that encouraged shows of solidarity, like wearing red and buying from women-owned business, that allowed participation from women who could not afford to strike.”