Some of you might be wondering how to handle International Women’s Day in light of the “Women’s March”. As a strong proponent of the Women’s March, I believe in the following;

1. Pay Equality
2. Equal access to opportunities for women run businesses’
3. A day where gender bias doesn’t exist for our daughters, nieces, sisters, aunts and grandchildren
4. Equal access to opportunity for women all over the world predicated on performance and absent of discrimination and bias.

This is an important day and the Women’s March is making it all the more important. This year, unlike any other, there is and will be a lot of momentum on March 8th in large part thanks to the “Women’s March” movement. They have accomplished an awful lot in the last 60 days.

1. As a female business leader I would like to share the ways in which I am showing my support for this important day
2. I am having breakfast with Startup Canada and will be talking about the initiative of the National Women’s Council in the US, where they consult directly with the president and congress about the progress and performance of all the women’s initiatives country wide, as well as advise on the incredible opportunity Canada has to lead a similar initiative.
3. I am going to wear red in solidarity with women across the globe, whose average annual salary is 70% of that earned by their male counterparts and in support for women who face discrimination, and in some cases violence, on a daily basis.
4. I am going to march if I am able to.

What I ask of all of you is to make your presence known out there. Wear red if you can and show all women that you work with that you understand the challenges they face whether they be executives, colleagues or otherwise. March, if you can, in local lunch hour demonstration and stay focused on the fact that women face discrimination every day, especially in the business landscape.

A lot of this is our own biases, including that of women, but we can all collectively choose to do something about it now.

Participate if you can in any way and show pride in what your leadership and women you know around the world face by recognizing the day quietly and with grace.