Today is International Women’s Day, an annual event to celebrate the “social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.” But it also serves as a call to action, organizers say, to continue the fight toward gender equality — especially in the workplace. In Boston, there are a number of ways to support the cause.
If you have the urge to be on your feet, there is the International Women’s Day Rally planned from 4 to 6 p.m. today in Downtown Crossing. The event is hosted by Refuse Fascism, a collective sponsored by the nonprofit Alliance for Global Justice. Several restaurants have pledged to do their part, as some did insolidarity for the #DayWithoutImmigrants. “As a woman owned and staffed business,” Violette Gluten Free in Cambridge has promised to close today. Other establishments are staying open but still showing support. Between noon and 2 p.m. today, Juliet, a cafe and restaurant in Somerville, will host a talk about women in business. There will be free coffee (a suggested donation of $2 will go entirely to Planned Parenthood, according to the event page) and co-owner Katrina Jazayeri will help lead a discussion on issues women in business and hospitality are facing and ideas for how to fix them. RELATED: When is ‘Day Without a Woman’ and how do I join in New York? Liz Vilardi, owner and wine director of Belly Wine Bar in Kendall Square, has been curating a list of wines all made by women. The list will launch today and Belly will donate 10 percent of every by-the-glass sale of those wines for eight weeks to such organizations as Planned Parenthood, ACLU, Center for Reproductive Rights and more. This year’s International Women’s Day effort is also getting an added boost thanks to the brains behind the Women’s March on Washington on Jan. 21. Women’s March organizers are planning a “Day Without a Woman” strike to coincide with International Women’s Day. The strike encourages women in the U.S. and around the world to take off from both paid and unpaid work. Unpaid work includes tasks like child care, elder care, cleaning and cooking, and globally, women do more than twice as much unpaid work as men. RELATED: International Women’s Day may see activism jolt from tumult over Trump If you can’t sit out your work day, show solidarity with Day Without a Woman by avoiding shopping (with exceptions for small, women- and minority-owned businesses) and wearing red.
