Today is...

International Women's Day (and March is, in the US, anyway, Women's History Month).

A lot of us take for granted the rights that others fought for. In many places in the world, female children die of exposure, women have no right to property or basic human rights, and women cannot vote.

My view has always been that women have immense power if they only embrace it. After all, they are usually the ones who raise the future generations. It is within our power to create a world where boys and girls have equal opportunities to persue their dreams and make the most of their gifts. Whether a woman wants to be an astronaut, or a man wants to raise his children, both dreams should be supported, without dismissal. My definition of feminism has always been human-centric rather than specifically female-centric. I think sometimes people go overboard on gender issues without recognising that men also face biases. I see no difference in the pressures women face to be thin and men to be beefy; when I listen to acquaintances, it's clear that these sorts of media messages both say that you're worthless without the perfect body. We should, instead, work to teach our children that what is inside counts the most, and strive to build a world in which they can shine regardless of gender, rather than in spite of it.