International Women’s Day 2020 is upon us, and this year holds the theme from UN Women ‘I am Generation Equality: Realising Women’s Rights.’ Now, although the theme changes each year, the core intention of the day – to bring awareness to gender issues and injustices around the world and celebrate women’s achievements – remains unyielding.
The fight for gender inequality is far from over and we need to make sure the right voices are being heard on this day. But we also need to take a moment and recognise how far we’ve come and all the incredible things we as women are doing across the globe. So in that respect, we’ve rounded up ten moments from the year passed where women have been absolute bosses. From claiming the top spot on the Triple J Hottest 100 to fighting fires and becoming the first female diplomat in the Middle East, there’s more than enough to celebrate and drown out the cries of men asking where their day is.
So, crack open a bottle and pour those bubbles. We’re raising a glass for all of us female-identifying pals today, International Women’s Day – starting with this lot.
Billie Eilish Is The First Woman To Take Out #1 Spot On Hottest 100
With much anticipation of who would rank where this year, Billie Eilish claimed the top spot in the triple j Hottest 100 of 2020 with her song ‘Bad Guy’. Also, it would be foolish not to mention her five Grammy Awards, including Record Of The Year, her BRIT award for International Female Solo Artist and her latest single ‘No Time To Die’ for the newest James Bond film smashing charts. She cannot be stopped.
Thelma Plum Becomes The First Indigenous Woman To Crack The Top Ten
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Speaking of the Triple J Hottest 100, Thelma Plum made another historic moment by being the first Indigenous women to make it into the top ten with ‘Better In Blak’ making #9. (Pssst – she’s also about to head off on a national tour with Kira Puru so make sure to grab your tickets!).
Kristen Wiig & Maya Rudolph Nail Co-Hosting Of The Oscars
On a night filled with the height of glitz and glamour, Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph put on their extravagant ball gowns (although admittedly Wiig did look a little like a lobster) and proved put their natural comedic streaks while presenting at the Oscars. The pair showed off their acting chops and then performed a singing medley about, honestly look who knows, before announcing best costume design. And they had an absolute blast doing so.
Joan Westenberg Has Application To Change Name & Gender Approved
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Australian writer and proud transgender woman Joan Westernberg had her application to legally change her name and gender finally approved. In a country where gender transition can be found to be a terribly difficult process, Joan now celebrates her correct name and gender on her driver’s license. And we’re so bloody here for it.
Katherine Robinson-Williams Fights NSW Fires While Pregnant
An applaudable amount of women helped fight the devastating and catastrophic flames in the bushfire crisis earlier this year. Amongst those was Katherine Robinson-Williams who battled the fires that tore across New South Wales – all while 13 weeks pregnant. While a baby was growing inside her body, she was out helping to save properties in Paxton, near Cessnock that were at risk. I think we all can agree; she’s deserving of the ‘hero’ title.
Jacinda Ardern Receives Global Praise For Response To Christchurch Shooting
In the wake of New Zealand’s worst mass killing in modern history, the country’s PM Jacinda Ardern exhibited more compassion and composure than some PM’s do in their entire careers. Rightfully so, she was praised globally for her empathetic response, which included offering to pay for all funerals costs for victims; adorning a black headscarf and mourning with relatives of those killed; speaking out against white-supremacy and racism; and most of all, actually did something about the nation’s gun laws as less than a month after the horrendous attack, the New Zealand had passed a gun reform bill. A true leader.
Simone Johnson Signs To The WWE & Continues Family Legacy
In a world where we mostly just hear about boys taking up their father’s sporting legacy, we’re so here for Simone Johnson signing up as a wrestler with WWE earlier this year. She’ll be following in the footsteps – or wrestling tackles if you will – of her great-grandfather, grandfather and father, the one and only, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. Keep an eye of this one; it looks like big things are coming her way.
Nahida Sobhan Becomes The First Female Diplomat In The Middle East
As on January 1 this year, the Middle East got its first female diplomat when Bangladesh appointed Nahida Sobhan to ambassador to Jordan. More than ready to take on the job, Sobhan has a diploma, a bachelor’s and master’s degree, can speak three languages and has already served in diplomatic posts in Rome, Kolkata and Geneva. Now she’s taking up a top spot in the Middle East with the aim of assisting women migrant workers who’ve suffered abuse. So, she’s a career driven woman to put it mildly.
Chanel Miller Pens Harrowing & Brave Memoir About Stanford Sexual Assault Case
Until last year, Chanel Miller was known publically as ‘Emily Doe’ in the Stanford sexual assault case of 2015. A case where her assailant Brock Turner served a pitiful three months in prison for raping her while she was unconscious. Even more disgraceful was the gross amount of victim-blaming around the case; Brock was labelled as a champion swimmer and honourable young man while Miller was portrayed as the girl who gets too drunk at the party. But Miller wasn’t going to let the world reduce her down to this, so she decided to let the world know her name and story and penned the memoir, Know My Name.
Ady Meschke and Katie Crenshaw Pen Body Positive Children’s Book
Bloggers from Altanta, Ady Meschke and Katie Crenshaw didn’t just want to encourage young girls to use their manners and be kind to their friends; they also wanted them to love their bodies – just as they are. So, they got together and penned the body positive book, Her Body Can, which was released just this February and is aimed at children 8 and under.
Marnie Vinall is a Melbourne based freelance writer and improvisor. She performs with Chamber of Susans, which surprisingly wasn’t originally intended as a Harry Potter pun, and posts some pretty B minus content to Instagram and Twitter.
