So it's International Women's Day

On this, the 35th anniversary of the first International Women's Day, I am reminded of 1975 -- International Year of the Woman.

At the time, I was a young up-and-comer in the federal government and my department had chosen me to be their representative for the many functions that were being planned throughout the year for International Year of the Woman.

It was a tremendous honour:  each department had been asked to put forward the female employee who best embodied the positive characteristics of strong women in the workforce.

The kick-off, of course, would be held on March 8th, the first International Women's Day.

Then it became known that I was pregnant (my due date was early September so it wasn't like I was 'showing' yet).

At the end of January that year, I was called into the big man's office and advised that I was being replaced as departmental representative, in light of my 'delicate situation,' as it was put to me.

You see, I was pregnant -- and unmarried; and I wasn't offering any apologies.

I remember my parting shot as I left the office, "Seems silly to me.  What better proof that you chose a woman for your representative than for her to be swollen with pregnancy?"

Today, one might argue that the decision may have been made more because I would obviously not have been able to fulfill the duties of the role, since I would be away on maternity leave at some point in the year.  Except at that time, maternity leave allowed you to be away for all of six weeks.  Hardly a deal breaker.

I still bristle at the hyprocacy of anything 'women-only' oriented.

I mean, truly, there are no women's issues.

Every issue that touches a woman, also touches that woman's husband, father, brother, son, etc ...

Because a woman is also somebody's wife, mother, sister, daughter, grandmother, etc ...

So, all issues are people issues, when you get right down to it.

Did you know that when Kim Campbell was Minister of Justice and Attorney General for Canada, she was the 'golden girl' of the Progressive Conservative Party.  It's no secret that party insiders believed that she would be taking over the reigns of government from Brian Mulroney, so essentially, what Kim wanted, Kim got.  And she insisted that every government program that was implemented should have something specifically targetted for women.

So, to appease her, a grant program was put in place that offered specific funding to young women to encourage them to pursue doctoral studies.

There was  no such program for young men who wanted to pursue their doctoral studies (it was felt that men didn't need the encouragement to further their education).

I believe the ridiculous program remains on the books to this day, because nobody in government has the balls to cancel it (or widen its scope), in spite of its obvious discriminatory limitations.

If I had a son, I'd be really po'd to find out my daughter was entitled to educational assistance that my son was barred from receiving, simply based on gender (I voiced that view to the powers-that-be at the time, but to no avail).

Why did we need a year then, and continue to need a day now, to mark women's anything?

Every human being is entitled to be treated with respect and dignity every day of the year.

Let's celebrate people -- isn't that what equality is all about? -- then you'll have me on board.