As much as we love to celebrate the moms, daughters, sisters, aunts, grandmothers, friends and other women in our life 365 days a year, we always go a little bit harder on International Women's Day. Come March 8, one can't help but be inspired by the hardworking women that surround us, celebrating their current achievements, like a promotion at work or a new apartment, or those of the past, from the women who fought to make it so that today's women could have those jobs and make their own money for that new apartment. This global holiday recognizes women’s incredible milestones, raises awareness and encourages others to advocate for gender equality.
It was in the early 1900s when women started to hold marches and campaign for change. One of the first marches was held in New York City when 15,000 women flooded the streets and advocated for better pay, working conditions and voting rights. From then on, National Women’s Day was established in 1909, which later became celebrated in other parts of the world, and became known as International Women’s Day in 1911. Eventually, the International Women's Day online platform emerged in 2001 and sparked even more interest and opportunity for involvement. This platform continues to raise awareness to this day by introducing annual campaigns which have included #BreakTheBias, #TheGenderAgenda, #EachForEqual and several more. This year’s 2024 campaign is #InspireInclusion, which focuses on creating a more inclusive world, challenging stereotypes and addressing discrimination.
If you are wanting to participate and celebrate IWD, there are plenty of ways to jump into action. You can attend an event, fundraise for a female-focused charity or post to social media with one of these International Women’s Day quotes. From female leaders like Malala Yousafzai to Maya Angelou and more, there are plenty of inspiring messages and empowering quotes from women that we have in our list. So go ahead and peruse through these courageous messages, you'll be reminded of what you are capable of!
1
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Women are the real architects of society.
2
Ginger Rogers
There's nothing a man can do, that I can't do better and in heels.
3
Uzo Aduba in ‘Mrs. America’
I didn’t get anywhere in my life waiting on somebody’s permission.
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4
Alice Walker
The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.
5
Holly Hunter in ‘The Incredibles’
Girls, come on. Leave the saving of the world to the men? I don't think so.
6
Jane Austen
There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me.
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7
Atticus
She wasn't looking for a knight, she was looking for a sword.
8
Colette Werden
It’s okay if you fall down and lose your spark. Just make sure that when you get back up, you rise as the whole damn fire.
9
Amy Poehler
. . . I just love bossy women. I could be around them all day. To me, bossy is not a pejorative term at all. It means somebody's passionate and engaged and ambitious and doesn't mind leading
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10
G. D. Anderson
Feminism isn't about making women stronger. Women are already strong; it's about changing the way the world perceives that strength.
11
Laverne Cox
I’ve never been interested in being invisible and erased.
12
Georgia O'Keeffe
I’ve been absolutely terrified every moment of my life — and I’ve never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do.
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13
Sandra Oh in ‘Grey’s Anatomy’
Sometimes the future changes quickly and completely and we’re left with only the choice of what to do next. We can choose to be afraid of it, to stand there trembling, not moving, assuming the worst that can happen or we can step forward into the unknown and assume it will be brilliant.
14
Adrienne Rich
The most important thing one woman can do for another is to illuminate and expand her sense of actual possibilities.
15
Gloria Steinem
Don’t think about making women fit the world — think about making the world fit women.
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16
Michelle Obama
Women and girls can do whatever they want. There is no limit to what we as women can accomplish.
17
Mindy Kaling
If you don't see a clear path for what you want, sometimes you have to make it for yourself.
18
Ntozake Shange
Where there is a woman there is magic.
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19
Saoirse Ronan in ‘Little Women’
Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they've got ambition, and they've got talent, as well as just beauty. I'm so sick of people saying that love is just all a woman is fit for.
20
Malala Yousafzai
We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced.
