With International Women’s Day around the corner, women are asked to organize galas, celebrations and fundraisers, adding more to their workload of unpaid tasks.
Every year, March 8 marks International Women’s Day. International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrates the achievements of women and girls in social, economic, cultural and political climates, and calls to accelerate gender equity. IWD dates back to the 1900s as a way to fight for women’s rights. We’ve come a long way since then: women gained the right to vote, shattered many glass ceilings in male-dominated fields, and have more equality in legislative rights — celebrating these achievements is valuable. But behind the celebration, there’s a hidden cost for women.
Emotional labour and unpaid work
It’s important to acknowledge how far women have come and how far we have yet to go, but IWD events tend not to dig that deep. And sometimes, these events can feel performative — think of the companies who host a special day for women yet continue to have a gender pay gap and tolerate a work culture that is dismissive toward women. The cherry on top of these once-a-year events? Women are usually the ones asked to organize them.
The weight and responsibility of planning IWD often falls on the shoulders of women. Across the board, women make up the majority of those who take on unpaid work. Think of social committees, school volunteers and gala organizers: women tend to take on those roles, and this is largely due to a volunteering history from when most women did not hold paid positions. Yet now that most women are in the workforce, the expectation to take on additional, unpaid responsibilities remains.
Companies will often ask female panellists to speak without pay, female employees to organize an IWD gala outside of working hours or ask the women in the office to brainstorm ideas on what the company can do.
It’s time to revisit how we celebrate and advance women and make sure it’s causing more good than harm.
How can we celebrate differently this year?
This IWD, ensure the way you or your company celebrates does not bring more unwanted work to women. And know that the responsibility to plan and organize an event doesn’t have to fall on you if you’re the one being asked. This year, alleviate the emotional labour some women have to carry and celebrate in useful ways. Some Calgary-based companies, like Toast — a member collective for women in tech — are even going as far as sitting this IWD out.
Celebrate women in your circle. Instead of sharing a trending Instagram post everyone has seen, make your declarations more personal and intentional. If you feel like making a statement online, make sure it’s attached to action, like donating to organizations that help advance women’s rights and successes. In the workplace, women want equal pay and healthy work cultures. Ask your employees what they need or what could help them. Revisit company policies. Find the gaps and start closing them.
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