Last night at the Oscars, history was made. Kathryn Bigelow, director of the film “The Hurt Locker,” became the first woman to win an Oscar for best director. The timing couldn’t have been any better. Her win was the perfect beginning for the celebration of the 99th International Women’s Day on Monday, March 8. This year’s U.N. theme is “Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities: Progress for All.”
Kathryn Bigelow’s “The Hurt Locker,” an American war film about the current Iraq war, also won best picture and best original screenplay, among several others. Ms. Bigelow beat out Avatar director and ex-husband James Cameron in the category of best director.
The United States has seen some great innovative women flourish.
In 2007, Drew Giplin Faust became Harvard’s president. Faust, who served as the first dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, was the first female president elected to Harvard University since it was established 374 years ago, in 1636. Prior to her position as dean at the Radcliffe Institute, President Faust served as a professor of History and director of the Women’s Studies Program at University of Pennsylvania for 25 years.
The 2008 presidential elections were also an historic one for women in the United States. Hillary Clinton became the first first lady to win a presidential primary contest in United States history. Eight years before, in 2000, she became the first first lady to become elected to a national office after she was elected to the United States Senate. Margaret Chase Smith (1964) was the first woman to be nominated for president by a major party. Many third parties had sponsored female candidates since Victoria Woodhull for the Equal Rights Party in 1872.
Then governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin also became the first woman to run for vice president on the Republican ticket in the 2008 elections. Geraldine Ferraro had been the first female vice presidential candidate on the Democratic ticket in 1984.
Dr. Peggy A. Whitson became the first female chief of the Astronaut Corps. She has completed two long-duration spaceflights, serving 377 days in space. This is more than any other astronaut, man or woman, in the United States.
International Women’s Day is an officially recognized national holiday in several countries. It was founded in 1911 as a day to celebrate the economic, political, and social progress of women.
According to the International Women’s Day Web site, however, the battle is not won. It reports, “Many from a younger generation feel that ‘all the battles have been won for women’ while many feminists from the 1970s know only too well the longevity and ingrained complexity of patriarchy. ... The unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts, women still are not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women’s education, health, and the violence against them is worse than that of men.”
Kathryn Bigelow’s “The Hurt Locker,” an American war film about the current Iraq war, also won best picture and best original screenplay, among several others. Ms. Bigelow beat out Avatar director and ex-husband James Cameron in the category of best director.
The United States has seen some great innovative women flourish.
In 2007, Drew Giplin Faust became Harvard’s president. Faust, who served as the first dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, was the first female president elected to Harvard University since it was established 374 years ago, in 1636. Prior to her position as dean at the Radcliffe Institute, President Faust served as a professor of History and director of the Women’s Studies Program at University of Pennsylvania for 25 years.
The 2008 presidential elections were also an historic one for women in the United States. Hillary Clinton became the first first lady to win a presidential primary contest in United States history. Eight years before, in 2000, she became the first first lady to become elected to a national office after she was elected to the United States Senate. Margaret Chase Smith (1964) was the first woman to be nominated for president by a major party. Many third parties had sponsored female candidates since Victoria Woodhull for the Equal Rights Party in 1872.
Then governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin also became the first woman to run for vice president on the Republican ticket in the 2008 elections. Geraldine Ferraro had been the first female vice presidential candidate on the Democratic ticket in 1984.
Dr. Peggy A. Whitson became the first female chief of the Astronaut Corps. She has completed two long-duration spaceflights, serving 377 days in space. This is more than any other astronaut, man or woman, in the United States.
International Women’s Day is an officially recognized national holiday in several countries. It was founded in 1911 as a day to celebrate the economic, political, and social progress of women.
According to the International Women’s Day Web site, however, the battle is not won. It reports, “Many from a younger generation feel that ‘all the battles have been won for women’ while many feminists from the 1970s know only too well the longevity and ingrained complexity of patriarchy. ... The unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts, women still are not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women’s education, health, and the violence against them is worse than that of men.”
