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The women behind the wildly successful Women's March are organizing a general strike for this coming Wednesday, March 8. The goal of the strike,according to organizers, is to highlight the economic power and significance that women have in the U.S. and global economies, while calling attention to the economic injustices women and gender nonconforming people continue to face.
Here are some ways people can participate:
Q: What are people going to do to observe A Day Without a Woman?
A: People can participate in any one or all of the following ways: Women to refrain from paid and unpaid work
We ask all people to refrain from shopping in stores or online. Exceptions include local small businesses and women-owned businesses that support us. (#GrabYourWallet has a list of corporations we do not support throughout the year.)
Wear red in solidarity with the strike.
We ask that our male allies lean into care giving on March 8th, and use the day to call out decision-makers at the workplace and in the government to extend equal pay and adequate paid family leave for women.
Are you planning to strike, but worried about what to say to your boss? Well, fear not, for the badass ladies behind the strike have done the dirty work for you, and put together a carefully crafted letter you can use to let him or her know that you won't be clocking in come Wednesday.
Here's the letter you can use. Feel free to make your own tweaks and add your own emojis...
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Dear [INSERT NAME OF SUPERVISOR],
I am writing to inform you that in honor of International Women’s Day, I will not be working on Wednesday, March 8th, as part of the Women’s March’s A Day Without A Woman.
The Women’s March organized this day in the same spirit of love and liberation that inspired the march on January 21, 2017. A Day Without A Woman is a recognition of the enormous value that women of all backgrounds add to our socio-economic system -- and the pervasive and systemic gender-based inequalities that still exist within our society, from the wage gap, to vulnerability to discrimination, sexual harassment, and job insecurity.
I hope you will stand in support of me, and any of my women colleagues who choose to participate, in observance of this day. Places of employment can participate by closing for the day or giving women workers the day off, whether paid or unpaid. Even more important than the symbolism of standing with women on March 8, the Women’s March is asking all employers to perform an audit of their policies impacting women and families. By ensuring that women have pay equity, a livable wage and paid leave, businesses can demonstrate that their long-term actions align with the values we are standing up for on this day.
I am extremely dedicated to my work at [INSERT NAME OF EMPLOYER]. I respect the value of work, and I respect [INSERT NAME OF EMPLOYER]’s values. At an increasingly insecure time for the rights of women and other minority groups, it is important to me that I also stand for the value of equality. I hope you will support me in my decision.
For a letter to businesses and organizations from the Women’s March on how to participate on March 8, please see here.
Thank you very much,
