Yumhee Park, Program Assistant

As both a feminist and women’s studies major, whenever I meet new people, I get asked some variations of the following questions:

“What do you with that?”

“Why is there no men’s studies major?” (UH, BECAUSE THAT’S CALLED HISTORY?)

“Women got the right to vote ages ago… Pretty sure the fight is over, no?”

“Oh, you’re a feminist? … Want to go make me a sandwich? Heh, heh, heh.” (Yes, I’ve actually been told this multiple times by multiple people)

Since International Women’s Day is now upon us, I figured there is no better time than now to address these questions (minus the last one – really, that’s a classic example of WHY we still need feminism) and bring light to why the work is still not over for women. Here are five reasons to remind us why International Women’s Day matters:

One) Girls all over the world are still struggling to gain access to quality education

Malala Yousafzai from Pakistan, at just 15 years old, is the youngest nominee in history for a Nobel Peace Prize. This nomination has not come without its share of horrors. She has fought nearly to her death to advocate for her right to education. However her story resonates with many girls all over the world across all cultures who still struggle to obtain the same education as their male counterparts. In the United States, pregnant and parenting teens face multiple barriers to gain access to education without discrimination. Based on their gender, girls all over the world still seem to have a difficult time accessing education without obstacles.

Two) People still don’t understand the severity of rape

The Delhi gang rape. The Steubenville rape case. Rape in the military. Why are we still so slow to act when it comes to rape? Why are we still blaming the victim? Why are we still perpetuating the silence forced upon the victims by not taking them seriously? Why do we click our tongues at rape cases around the world and deem them as barbaric while ignoring cases of rape in our country that are equally horrible? Lawmakers should really take biology classes after their grossly ignorant statements about rape and women’s bodies so that it becomes clear: Rape is rape, and no victim should have to prolong the trauma caused by such violation.