How should Women’s Day matter?

The future of gender equality isn’t about erasing differences or forcing uniformity. It’s about creating a world where talent speaks louder than labels

Each year, International Women’s Day brings a global wave of discussions on gender equality, empowerment, and progress. But as we celebrate our achievements and push for action, it’s time to ask the difficult question: Are we moving towards true equality or getting caught in a performative narrative?

Equality vs. the Illusion of Equality

Equality is the goal, but what does it truly mean? Is it about equal opportunities or equal outcomes? If we believe in meritocracy, then equality means that everyone, regardless of gender, has a fair shot at success. But the outcome should depend on skills, effort, and impact, not on mandated representation or hitting the ‘diversity quota.’

The uncomfortable reality is that while structural barriers exist, personal ambition, resilience, and competence matter too. We need to push for a system where everyone, including women, has access to opportunities. But we also need to be honest: if you don’t get what you want, is it because of gender – or could it be because someone else was simply better suited for the role and had more ‘merit?’ However merit is subjective. We like to believe workplaces reward hard work and talent, but in reality, perceived merit overshadows actual competence. Unconscious biases often play a role in who gets ahead. 

The glass ceiling is very real for most women. But it should never be an excuse. If you want something, work for it. If you get it, great. But if you don’t – reassess, improve, and try again. The most successful people, regardless of gender, refuse to see themselves as victims. 

Looking at life through the prism of gender

In a utopian world, we wouldn’t need to discuss gender at all - just skills, ambitions, and results. But as a society, we aren’t there yet. Gender still influences hiring decisions, promotions, and workplace dynamics. The goal is to reach a point where every woman can confidently say, ‘I succeeded because I was the best person for the job,’ without any lingering doubts about whether gender played a role – negative or positive. 

This requires workplaces to build a culture where meritocracy is so deeply ingrained that gender becomes irrelevant. Until then, the paradox remains; we want to stop making gender an issue, but ignoring it entirely would be naive. 

Gender equality isn’t just a women’s fight. It is a societal one. But in today’s hyper-polarised climate, not all allies are equally appreciated. Women and men who advocate for merit over gender based advantages are often labelled as unsupportive of the cause. True progress means supporting the supporters, even if their approach differs, and recognising that there is no one-size fits all feminism. Some women want boardroom seats, and others want work-life balance. Some push for radical reforms, and others advocate for steady progress within existing structures. None of these perspectives are ‘wrong.’

IWD: Inclusive not Exclusive

Women’s Day should be about celebrating all women. It should be about empowering choice, whether that means breaking into male-dominated industries or embracing traditionally feminine roles without judgement. It should be a call for meritocracy and not tokenism. 

The future of gender equality isn’t about erasing differences or forcing uniformity. It’s about creating a world where talent speaks louder than labels. 

And when we finally get there, maybe we won’t need a Women’s Day at all to recognise women’s achievements because those achievements will be self-evident. Until then, we celebrate us – our strength, our ambition, our victories. Not as women’s success. Just success.

(The writer is a Psychology Graduate and a Research Assistant.)