International Women’s Day

John Heintz leads the group in a discussion on International Women’s Day inspired by a Washington Post article. The writer highlighted that women have left the workforce so rapidly during the pandemic that woman participation is as low now as in 1988. President Biden called this loss of women in the workforce a national emergency.

The gang considers the pandemic’s disproportionately negative impact on women, the significance of women’s day in the US and abroad, the impact of closed schools, balancing child care and work at home, unequal pay for women, celebrations of the day around the world, the United Nations’ role in the day and its mission, the day’s changing significance, attitudes toward the holiday and Peggy and Beth’s suggestion that women get cards and gifts to celebrate.