Just the one day for women. 2016

It's International Women's Day 2016.

A day to remind the world of how far we still have to go before our daughters will be treated the same as our sons.

Each year I read articles that push out the comment that It's important to remember that a man is not a financial plan. This is so true. But of course it means we have a lot more work to do.

Right now in Australia: 

If you're an older woman in Australia you are more likely to live in poverty, having limited superannuation and assets because you never had paid jobs, instead doing ALL THE THINGS for everyone and getting no super. No savings. No house in your name. No car. Then you'll just find yourself in retirement hoping that things are going to work out ok.

If you're a female university graduate with the same qualifications in the same job as a male you will earn less income.

If you're a mature professional woman working right now, you're only earning 83 cents for every dollar your male colleague is earning.

If you are one of the nations best sports performers you'll only get media coverage and sponsorship if you are also highly attractive, even then, you'll need another job to support yourself. Your actual games are unlikely to be televised.

If you're a little girl, you'll be learning that the boys are stronger then you. You'll be seeing that only men play sport on TV and that your body is for people to look at and critique on a regular basis. You won't get a plastic drill for your third birthday or be expected to make real things like aeroplanes with your lego, but you'll be able to build the cupcake shop or the hairdressers.

If you're a parent of girls you'll be doing everything in your power to teach your girls to GIVE NO FUCKS about what society tells them they should be. But often you'll feel alone in that ocean.

You'll cringe as you read pages and pages of comments on social media about how women should just accept that men and women are different and stop giving men a hard time. 

You'll hope that no one you know, no one you love is hurt in their own home. When you see the stats that more than one women is killed by her partner a week, you'll think it must be wrong.

To women everywhere - today is your day. And so is tomorrow. 

Get your hair wet. Wear your active wear or your high heals but speak loudly when you think something needs changing. Be brave when the conversation gets hard. Be confident that you deserve more. You are worthy. You are important. You can do this.