Joyce Fegan: Meaningful actions matter far more than temporary tokenism

'Rights are rarely freely given, but instead requested, demanded and then fought for until finally won — and feminism, to which International Women's Day currently belongs, is often the vehicle'

Delegates to the first International Congress of Working Women. Picture: Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images

As we mark International Women's Day 2023 this Wednesday, with everything from sound baths and sea swim fundraisers, to brands posting pithy quotes on social media, it would be interesting to know what its founder, Clara Zetkin, might think of 2023’s proceedings.

Zetkin was a communist activist. So if socialism is still a dirty word to some — and it is to many in America — imagine if those businesses hosting luncheons and talks on Wednesday were to find out that their proceedings were inspired by a communist.