Michelle Obama, Selena Gomez & More Stars Celebrate International Women’s Day: ‘Know That You Matter’
International Women’s Day is Mar. 8. Celebrate the power of women with all your favorite celebrities, right here.
Gather round boss babes, it’s International Women’s Day and we’re celebrating all things girl. The holiday takes many shapes each Mar. 8 and gets embraced by celebs and regular folks alike. Some people mark IWD by recognizing the strong ladies who influenced their lives. Others use their platform to raise awareness about women’s issues around the world.
While feminism may seem modern, International Women’s Day has deep roots. People first marked the holiday back in 1911 and it was recognized by the United Nations in 1977, according to the UN’s website. Since, the mission has been uplifting the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women across the globe.
This year, International Women’s Day’s theme is #EmbraceEquity. As the IWD organization wrote online, “Equity isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have. A focus on gender equity needs to be part of every society’s DNA. And it’s critical to understand the difference between equity and equality.” It went on, highlighting how “People start from different places, so true inclusion and belonging require equitable action.”
Bold women like Michelle Obama and Amal Clooney used their platforms to take a stand. Other folks, like David Beckham, gave a shout-out to their most beloved ladies online.
No matter the message, we’re here for it! For all the best International Women’s Day posts, scroll down.
Michelle Obama
The former First Lady marked International Women’s Day with a message against child marriage. Taking to Instagram, she called the practice “one of the greatest threats to girls’ education and empowerment worldwide,” as over 12 million girls under 18 are married each year.
Michelle expanded her thoughts in a Time Magazine essay co-written with Melinda French Gates, and Amal Clooney. They explained activists’ three-pronged approach to eradicating child marriage — taking legal action, supporting local organizations, and empowering women through education.
Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez shared a message to her younger self on Instagram, along with an adorable throwback photo of herself as a little girl. In the caption, the actress/singer said, “Dear younger me, please don’t be afraid to ask for help.” She continued, “Today is International Women’s Day and I want each of us to be gentler to ourselves.”
Reese Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon made sure to honor all her important ladies, posting an Instagram slideshow of her besties. In the caption, the actress shared, “Happy #InternationalWomensDay!!! Here’s to strong, talented, kind, brilliant, smart, compassionate women. I am beyond grateful to be surrounded by them every single day. And just in case no one told you, you are capable of so many amazing things!”
Kerry Washington
Happy #InternationalWomensDay. Know that you are strong, you are important, and you matter. ❤️
— kerry washington (@kerrywashington) March 8, 2023
Kerry Washington star sent a positive message for IWD. Taking to Twitter, the Scandal star told followers, “Happy #InternationalWomensDay. Know that you are strong, you are important, and you matter.”
David Beckham
The football legend celebrated the “amazing women” in his life on Instagram. David lauded the ladies for “their work ethic, loyalty, kindness and love for their families,” then tagged wife Victoria Beckham, daughter Harper, mom Sandra, mother-in-law Jackie Adams, and his two sisters Joanne and Lynne.
Jameela Jamil
The always outspoken Jameela Jamil gave her female followers a pep talk in her IWD post on Instagram. She rocked a red suit while leaning in as if she was about to tell readers a secret. The star of The Good Place told women to eschew the pressure to be perfect and finished her message with kudos to her “fellow grumpy b****** who are sick of this s***.”