For us and our daughters.
We celebrate. We commemorate. We fight.
On March 8, it’s that time of year again – International Women’s Day. A day to remind us how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go. A day to celebrate the achievements our mothers and grandmothers fought for and to draw attention to what we still sorely lack.
I am garteful
Grateful for my freedom, for the opportunities I have had and continue to have. Grateful for the women who have gone before me to make this possible for me. At the same time, however, there is a deep concern growing within me.
While I am celebrating, there are women and girls whose lives are marked by violence, discrimination and injustice. The number of murders of women and girls worldwide, stories like that of Gisèle Pericot or the regression in case law on sexual self-determination show that we are still a long way from achieving our goal.
Painful to look at
But we have to do it.
It hurts to see that women’s shelters are overcrowded, that laws like § 218 remain in legal gray areas, that the “Tradwives” movement romanticizes a 1950s image of women, and that conservative currents threaten exactly what our female ancestors fought for.
How can any woman support people or parties that endanger all of this? I just don’t understand it!
A movie that resonates
An evening full of food for thought.
In the context of and in the special spirit of this year’s Women’s Day, I recently went to the movies with two lady friends. “Wunderschöner” (More Beautiful), a German drama comedy by and starring Caroline Herfurth, along with Nora Tschirner and Emilia Schüle. Despite its lightness, the film draws attention to precisely where it hurts. It shows that women, regardless of their age, are still fighting for sexual self-determination and relationships on equal terms.
The movie made us laugh, cry and reflect. And we all agreed: it was a film with lasting resonance.
It’s been a wonderful evening full of insights and emotions – what a shame that there were only few men in the audience.
Gender equality is not just a “women’s issue”. It affects our society and community: it concerns us all!
Our fight is not over yet.
I hope that our daughters, daughters-in-law, granddaughters, nieces, young colleagues and friends will not only enjoy these hard-won achievements, but also value, protect and continue to fight for them. So that they can live in a world free from poverty, violence and discrimination.
But for that to happen, we as a society must finally understand that equality also liberates men, so that we don’t have to constantly fight the same battles. We need community and solidarity. Among us women, too. We need to support, accept and empower each other – across generations. Because every woman who stands up and speaks out is an inspiration to those who still doubt.
Let’s be loud. Let’s be uncomfortable. Let’s be strong together.
Happy International Women’s Day!
For us. For our daughters. For all women worldwide.
