To honor the contributions women have made in all realms of life on International Women’s Day, it’s important we remember how lost we’d be without them — especially if, say, they were on strike.

As part of the International Women’s Strike USA, Syracuse University’s women’s and gender studies department will join the cause and close its office for a couple hours on Thursday, per an email sent to the WGS student listserv. The department office will remain closed from noon to 2 p.m. before resuming normal work hours.

The strike, according to the strike’s website, “will be a day of feminism for the 99%: a day of mobilization of black and brown women, cis and bi, lesbian and trans women workers, of the poor and the low waged, of unpaid caregivers, of sex workers and migrants.” It’s meant to bring further awareness of recent campaigns that have advanced feminist movements, including the #TimesUp and #MeToo. And these campaigns are exactly why we need to join.

On International Women’s Day, I encourage you to commit to something meant to recognize intersectional feminism. You don’t need to take a strike, but creating change in a small way that honors women across the globe — many who face disadvantages due to other sectors of their identity — affects the feminist community in more ways than one.

Calling attention to the day on social media or reminding your friends that their identities are valued and important speaks volumes. And, if you’d like to go the extra mile, take a couple minutes to educate yourself on the International Women’s Strike’s website.

In doing so, we’re not only standing with the world, but with members of our own community. On a smaller scale, taking a stand means joining in solidarity with the women’s and gender studies department. This department fights for intersectional feminism and intercommunity solidarity, and we should constantly seek ways to further connect with and learn from those part of the WGS community.

Take a stand today. Give a few minutes of time for the women of the world, regardless of who they are and whether you agree with them. Recognize where you are privileged, recognize where you are not and take a stand today — big or small.

By standing up for others, you not only represent yourself, but every other woman of the world as our fight rages on.

Lianza Reyes is a sophomore broadcast and digital journalism major. Her column appears biweekly. She can be reached at lireyes@syr.edu and followed on Twitter @ReyesLianza.

Published on March 7, 2018 at 11:03 pm