On this International Women’s Day (March 8, 2022), the Mountain Party celebrates the great achievements of women across the globe. International Women’s Day has its roots in the socialist movement, having first been celebrated by the Socialist Party of America in 1909 and adopted globally by the socialist movement following the revolution in Russia, which gave women the right to vote.
It is just as important now as it has ever been to fight for the rights of women. As the Supreme Court is weighing a case which could drastically limit abortion rights, West Virginia Democratic Party leader Senator Joe Manchin joined with Republicans to block a bill codifying the right to an abortion. WV Democratic Minority Leader Stephen Baldwin in January introduced an anti-abortion resolution in the State Senate; later, the State Senate voted to rescind West Virginia’s ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. Across the country, state legislatures are passing bills to restrict or ban transgender women and girls from competing in sports. Powerful men accused of sexual assault and misconduct continue to hold power and influence in our society, including President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
Not all is hopeless, however. Across the globe, women are winning their fights for reproductive justice. This past January, dozens of activists from multiple organizations gathered at the state Capitol to celebrate the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and to protest bills in the state legislature which aimed to severely restrict reproductive rights. The Mountain Party, as the progressive voice in West Virginia for two decades now, is continuing the fight for women’s liberation which it has supported from its inception. The Mountain Party advocates for a universal healthcare system in which reproductive care, including abortion, is guaranteed and free at the point of service with no questions asked. We call for the expansion and protection of each woman’s right to fully participate in society, free from sexual harassment, job discrimination, and wage discrimination. Much more must be done to ensure equality in wages and employment, to end the feminization of poverty, and to redress the reality that much of the work that society assigns primarily to women is presently unpaid.
The fight for women’s rights is far from over, but on this International Women’s Day we celebrate the working class women who have fought and continue to fight for an equal and just society.
“I am convinced Socialism is the only answer and I urge all comrades to take this struggle to a victorious conclusion. Only this will free us from the chains of bigotry and exploitation.” – Malala Yousafzai
“It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love each other and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.” – Assata Shakur
“Those who do not move, do not notice their chains.” – Rosa Luxemburg
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