5 Reasons We Want To Cancel Women’s Day, Ek Din Ki Respect Ka Kya Karen?

Equality isn't a one-day event—it's an everyday effort for lasting change.

International Women’s Day (IWD), celebrated annually on March 8th, is a momentous occasion to honor the achievements, contributions, and rights of women worldwide. From rallies and speeches to social media campaigns, the day is marked by calls for gender equality and empowerment. However, even after the world has progressed over so many years, in 2025, majority women are still unsafe, violated, and raped in the world. So, instead of gifting us flowers and letters, there are other things we want such as safety, security, respect, and equality before they put us on a pedestal for one day. Here’s why we want to cancel Women’s Day!

Inequality Is An Everyday Issue, Not Just for One Day

Gender inequality is a daily reality for many women and marginalised groups. From the workplace to the home, issues like pay disparity, violence, and discrimination occur year-round. Celebrating equality for just one day can feel like putting a temporary spotlight on a problem that requires consistent action and commitment. Gender equality can’t be solved with a single event—it’s an ongoing fight that needs attention and action every day.

Real Change Requires Continuous Effort

Achieving true gender equality isn’t about making noise for one day. It requires sustained policy changes, a shift in societal attitudes, and constant activism. One-day celebrations risk undermining the hard work being done every day by activists, organisations, and individuals who are making lasting changes. Real progress happens through consistent legal reforms, workplace diversity, education, and advocacy, not just a one-time acknowledgment.

Celebrations Can Be Superficial and Tokenistic

When the focus is placed on one day of celebration, there is a risk that it becomes more of a symbolic gesture than a catalyst for real change. Companies and institutions may post a quote or create a social media campaign to seem progressive, but without actual efforts to implement long-term changes, these actions can feel empty. A single day of recognition is often used to appear supportive while doing little to tackle the root causes of inequality.

Excludes the Full Spectrum of Experiences

A lot of mainstream celebrations tend to focus on a narrow group of women—mainly white, upper-class women—while leaving out the voices of women from marginalized backgrounds. Women of colour, LGBTQ+ women, disabled women, and those from lower socio-economic classes often face different and more complex struggles. A one-day celebration, especially one that doesn’t actively promote inclusivity, can unintentionally ignore the diversity of experiences and the varied ways that inequality manifests in different communities.

Also Read: From Attentive Listening To Peaceful Walks, 5 Women’s Day Gifts That Cost Nothing!

Can Overshadow Urgent, Ongoing Issues

While Women’s Day is important for raising awareness, it often shifts focus to surface-level discussions rather than addressing urgent, long-term problems. Critical issues like gender-based violence, and rapes, and how women at the Maha Kumbh Mela were recorded without their consent at a holy place. Do we really celebrate this day after this? The reality is that these issues are happening every day and require a continuous effort to solve, not just a spotlight on a single occasion.

Also Read: Ladies, Gift Yourself These 10 Self-Love Gifts This Women’s Day!

First Published: March 07, 2025 3:22 PM