On March 8, 1917, women textile workers in Petrograd, Russia, protested for better working and living conditions. One hundred years later, women in the United States and around the world continue striking and advocating for the same. International Women's Day—formerly known as Labour Women's Day—has a rich history of uniting women to demand recognition for our invaluable contributions.
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As a millennial woman who graduated from college during the Great Recession, I watched myself and my peers scramble for any opportunity. We hid our degrees to wear uniforms and name badges for low-paying hourly jobs that our education was meant to protect us from. Many twenty-somethings like me moved straight from dorms back to childhood bedrooms.
Those tough times gave employers immense leverage. Unpaid internships proliferated. We worked long hours, hesitant to ask for raises or promotions, and accepted depressed wages. I knew women who cried in their cars or bathrooms during lunch breaks, trapped in jobs or under toxic bosses they felt powerless to leave—like staying in a bad relationship out of fear of not finding better.
The recession ended, but the mindset lingers. Employers still expect young workers to accept whatever is offered. I've lived it firsthand. After a successful career in sales and marketing, I pursued an MFA in creative writing. Upon graduating, I urgently needed an editing job—my savings depleted after two years of study.
I faced the same harsh reality my peers endured in 2007, nearly a decade later. Preparing to return to my hometown in Kentucky with my mother, I scoured job boards for writing roles. The position I landed paid $15 an hour—less than my Nordstrom cosmetics sales gig—and health insurance wouldn't start for three months. They were thrilled to have me and promised a raise in December if I "knocked it out of the park," alongside everyone else.
I've always been a high performer, constantly pushing to excel. But here, it felt like I was being asked to shrink.
Within two months, I was named their best writer, outperforming more experienced colleagues and training a new hire. I shared ideas and was always available. Yet, when I inquired about the promised raise during my review, my boss seemed offended—as if I'd overstepped by mentioning it. He didn't outright deny it; he just acted surprised I'd ask. It was clear I deserved it, but he resented me bringing it up. I felt diminished, like a little girl who didn't know her place.
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Clasping my hands and smiling through it, I channeled the spirit of those 1917 Russian textile workers who demanded better. I mentally listed my strengths: extensive experience, professionalism, sharp writing skills. I knew I had to leave—this man would never value me properly.
Over the next months, I built a freelance career: columns in local newspapers, features in national outlets, matching my day-job output. So I quit. Freelancing is grueling—I now understand the "No Days Off" mindset. But I set my own value. No clock-watching drudgery. I choose clients who respect my contributions.
Women, it's time to honor our worth, demand more from employers, seek better ones, or forge our own paths. First, believe in yourself. List your marketable skills. Get honest resume feedback from friends. Seek mentor assessments. Address gaps with classes or self-study, and network with supportive women.
If undervalued, explore options—the YouEconomy is booming. You don't need to quit today, but start planning. For over a century, working women have fought for workplace respect. Now, join the fight.
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