While fighting for women’s rights and equality on a regular basis is important, August 26 is specifically designated as Women’s Equality Day. Ladies around the country are coming together to commemorate such an impactful achievement in history.
There are many ways to empower and celebrate women, and this year ACTIVE Network is partnering with two other companies under the Global Payments' umbrella, Netspend and Heartland, for a virtual dance class.
In an article written about how dance can empower women, the following quote speaks to the impact of dance. “Dancers can portray strength, self-reliance, confidence and power, all elements of female empowerment.” The class will feature some moves from one of the most powerful and prominent female figures in the world, Beyoncé!
After the structured portion of the class, all participants will then have a chance to let loose and freestyle dance in whatever way empowers them.
To learn a little more about the history of Women’s Equality Day, and the reasons ACTIVE Network finds it so important to celebrate, continue reading below.
HISTORY
Women’s Equality Day commemorates the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, granting women the right to vote. Additionally, it’s a time to highlight the continued efforts of women to achieve equality in all areas of society. The history of the holiday began in 1971, when U.S. Representative Bella Abzug (D-NY) introduced a bill that would designate August 26 as Women’s Equality Day. By 1973, Congress had passed a joint resolution officially commemorating the day and every year since then, the President of the U.S. also declares the day as Women’s Equality Day.
While women have had the right to vote for a century, they are still fighting for equality in other areas. In 2020, the gender pay gap regardless of job type or worker seniority is 19 percent, meaning women earn only .81 cents for every dollar that men earn. And when controlling for factors such as job experience and industry, women still earn 2 percent less than men (.98 cents per dollar).
Additionally, there are still far more male elected officials. Women make up less than a quarter of congress (as of 2020, they occupy 23.7 percent of 535 seats). And only 18 percent of the 50 state governors are women. These numbers have increased over the past several decades, but there is a long way to go before true equality is achieved.
ACTIVE Network would like to extend an invite to everyone to help us celebrate this monumental day and encourages everyone to continue fighting for true equality for all.
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