“Regulate guns, not my body,” and “guns have more rights than women in the USA.” Messages like these can frequently be seen at recent protests across the country in light of the overturn of Roe and recent mass shootings. The recent shooting in Highland Park, Ill., marked one of the 300 mass shootings that occurred.
Picketers representing the National Association of Colored Women march past the White House in Washington, DC, July 30, 1956, carrying posters protesting the lynching of four Black people in Georgia [File: AP]
Today much of the world marks International Women’s Day. From Afghanistan to Guinea-Bissau and the United States, March 8 is recognised as the day to celebrate the achievements of women’s rights movements.
The origins of International Women’s Day can be traced to New York where, in 1908, thousands of garment workers went on strike, marching through the streets of the city to demand better pay and working conditions. Several years later, European feminists held a meeting in Copenhagen where they agreed to establish an international day to commemorate the women’s struggle. In 1911, March 8 was celebrated internationally for the first time.