International Women’s Day is a day worth celebrating

March 8 was International Women’s Day, a global day celebrating women’s social, economic, cultural, and political achievements.

I was unaware that IWD has its roots in the labour movements of the early 20th century (1907) and began out of a deep desire among women to have the vote, have equal pay, and address the many injustices in society toward women’s rights.

The first International Women’s Day was held on March 19, 1911 (moved to March 8, 1913), with rallies throughout Europe. More than one million women and men attended. While reading the history, I was reminded of two women in my family who stood for woman rights in the most direct way.

They made their views known loud and clear; their stories vibrate through our family history. My great-grandmother, a cockney lady and passionate Londoner, joined the suffragette movement and chained herself to the gates of Buckingham Palace.

A great-aunt in the same era joined Methodism, became a preacher, and advocated for the rights of gypsy women, standing up against violence towards women. Being short of six feet, she would drag the men out of the pub in the small riverport town of Stourport and compel them to marry, thus, giving women status and position in the community.

It is activism like this that has transformed lives. The need is still great globally. Jesus valued and empowered women in the most remarkable and revolutionary way, particularly within the cultural context.

One of my favourite examples is the Samaritan woman at the well in John chapter 4. Jesus, disregarding social customs, has a long conversation with the woman, resulting in her asking questions about her faith and hope. The culture gave no rights to women, and the Jews hated the Samaritans. She would have been amazed at Jesus’ conduct. The bitter hatred between the Jews and Samaritans was long-standing – hundreds of years.

“Let no man eat the bread of the Samaritans, for he who eats their bread is as he who eats swine’s flesh.” A saying from that period. A popular prayer in those days said, “And Lord, do not remember the Samaritans in the resurrection.”

Now that is harsh. Even Pharisees (religious leaders) were called “the bruised and bleeding Pharisees” because when they saw a woman in public, they would cover their eyes and bump into walls as they walked around. Jesus showed her nothing but true grace, respect and hope, a woman, and a Samaritan.

One of the reasons Christianity spread through the Roman Empire so quickly, particularly among middle- and upper-class women, was because of acceptance, empowerment and support of women and their role within the many local churches. And, of course, let’s not forget that the first people to see Jesus after the resurrection were women, not men.

Let us, as the faith community, continue to break down barriers and, with eyes wide open, celebrate women and all they bring to our world.