7 Times Celebs Redefined the Status Quo, in Honor of International Women’s Day
Today is International Women’s Day, which coincides with the International Women’s Strike, a.k.a. A Day Without a Woman. In the most distilled sense, women across the world are encouraged to arrange for a day off “from paid and unpaid labor;” avoid buying anything unless it is from a women-owned business; and wear red to show support and solidarity with the cause. The cause, of course, is to spotlight the contributions women make—both economically and domestically—as well as to protest widespread attempts to limit women’s rights and the rightest agenda to push gender equality back some three or four decades.
Even if you can’t fully participate in the strike, you can still join in honoring International Women’s Day—the theme for this year’s IWD is #BeBoldForChange, and the idea is to take some action to initiate change in some big or small way. It doesn’t have to be epic; you could try something as specific as committing to “query all-male speaking panels,” or as general as setting out to “redefine the status quo,” according suggestions on its website. In other words, to celebrate IWD this year means getting up and doing something to champion women’s rights and ignite the power of the woman in society, whatever that means to you.
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Not everyone has the luxury and privilege to strike today, so if you are striking, be mindful of the fact that you’re in a unique position. And if you’re at work today, you can, of course, wear red, and start conversations with your coworkers about the strike. The president of the National Organization of Women, Terry O’Neill, stressed the importance of these conversations to The Cut. If you’re working today, “you should talk to co-workers about the importance of taking back political power from frankly the white-supremacist agenda that is being promoted by the Republican party,” she said. “And I say that as a person who leads a nonpartisan organization.”
All of this got us thinking about some of the most famous women in the world—Beyoncé, Ashley Graham, Zendaya, Emma Watson—and how they have been redefining the status quo out there in the world. For some, like Queen Bey, the moving and shaking was obvious and rather epic; for others, like Watson, you might not have even realized what she’s up to (yet), but when you do, we bet you’ll be jumping up and down and clapping at the sidelines just like us. Ahead, discover seven times major celebs changed the status quo—and learn exactly what they’re doing to show up for their fellow humans.
