“We’re all union people, only we don’t seem to remember it. This world is one big union, and us children were taught very early that united we stand and divided we fall, and that’s just what we girls are demanding-the right to be united,” wrote Theresa Serber Malkiel in “The Diary of a Shirtwaist Striker: A Story of the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike in New York.”
These words of Malkiel have gained more relevance today. She first led a protest by women garment workers in New York back in March 8, 1857. The first international Women’s Day celebration by the United Nations happened in 1975. 2 years later, the UN General Assembly proclaimed March 8 as UN Day for women’s rights.
At a time when female voices are rising and coming together all over the world, from #TimesUp to #MeToo to #WomensMarch social movements, International Women’s Day on 8 March is a global moment to celebrate women and their impact on society. In the last six months, there has been a 50% increase in conversations around women’s rights on Twitter, such as feminism and gender equality. The #MeToo movement has garnered more than eight million Tweets from Twitter users in more than 67 countries since it first started sweeping across the world in October 2017.
The first Tweet made by Hollywood actress and activist, Alyssa Milano (@alyssa_milano), started an outpouring confessions from women who have braved harassment and abuse.
In the Philippines, Pilipinas Got Talent judge Angel Locsin (@143redangel) voiced her opinion against the apparent objectification of women when a scantily clad group of women performed their audition during the March 3, 2018 episode. Netizens on Twitter applauded the actress for standing her ground and relaying an important message to everyone on national TV.
Gaining Twitter followers is easy if you know how to do it.
Now, in honor of International Women’s Day 2018, Twitter has launched a special golden emoji in the shape of the female gender symbol as an ode to the modern woman who is confident and expressive. Available throughout the month of March, the emoji will appear when the following hashtags are used in Tweets:
● Filipino: #ArawNgKababaihan
● English: #IWD2018, #InternationalWomensDay, #WomensDay, #SheInspiresMe, #PositionOfStrength
As the preferred platform for real-time conversations, Twitter draws together growing global movements of ordinary Filipinas in various fields such as media, entertainment, politics and education; making people able to #SeeEverySide of their stories. Twitter has enabled many Filipino women to speak up, proving that every day can be #ArawNgKababaihan.
#SheInspiresMe celebrations on Twitter
In celebration of International Women’s Day, Twitter presents a series of activities across the Asia Pacific region, including Philippines, from 7-10 March to highlight inspiring stories of women and allow more people to join the #IWD2018 conversation throughout the week. From community events to live Q&A sessions on Twitter, women leaders in the fields of entertainment, media, music, politics, technology and sports across the region will speak about who inspired them, answer questions from fans, and spur more women around the region to be an inspiration to those around them. Join Twitter now, follow the accounts below, watch the live broadcasts, and have your voice heard this week to celebrate International Women’s Day 2018!
As the Philippines transcend to become a gender-equal country, Twitter will continue to be an essential platform for taking a stand and telling the stories of #EveryWoman.
