International Women’s Day is a day of great significance, a day where we celebrate the progress made by women across the world, and recognize the ongoing struggle for gender equality. The history of International Women’s Day can be traced back to 1908, when 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay, and the right to vote. Since then, International Women’s Day has become a global phenomenon, celebrated in countries all around the world.
The struggle for gender equality is far from over, but it is important to celebrate the progress made so far. Women have made significant contributions to society, whether it be in science, politics, or the arts. From Marie Curie to Malala Yousafzai, women have fought against adversity as they continue to change the world for the better.
It is unfortunate that even in 2023, women still face gender-based discrimination daily. Women are often paid less than men for the same work and are underrepresented in positions of power. While this is not as bad as it used to be, it does harm society as a whole. When half of the population is held back, everyone suffers.
In many parts of the world, women are forced to deal with severe violence on a daily basis. This is why International Women’s Day is so important, to raise awareness of these issues and to advocate for change. It is a time to celebrate the accomplishments of women, while also acknowledging the challenges they still face.
It’s truly ludicrous that in this day and age, we still have to address the fact that women are just as capable as men. The idea that women are somehow less competent or less capable of leadership is not only ridiculous but downright laughable. That we are supposed to believe that the same gender that gives birth to and raises future generations is somehow incapable of handling important responsibilities. The notion that women are inherently weaker or less intelligent than men is so ludicrous that it’s almost comical. But while we can find humor in these absurd stereotypes, the reality is that they still have a negative impact on women’s lives. The fact that we still have to fight for basic gender equality is not a joke. It’s up to all of us to continue pushing for progress. If we are going to use humor, let us use it as a tool to expose the ridiculousness of discrimination. Let us use it to acknowledge the serious work that still needs to be done to ensure that women are treated fairly and with respect.
While women continue to fight for equality, there is one industry that has been promoting equality since the 70s, the poker industry. Historically, poker has been a male-dominated game, with very few women participating in cash games or tournaments. However, poker pundits and historians know that women, from the earliest days of poker with Lottie Deno and Alice ‘Poker Alice’ Tubbs, to the more recent Barbara Enright, the first woman to win a WSOP bracelet in an open event, Jennifer Harman who has made fortunes playing at the biggest cash games in the world, and Vanessa Selbst, who tops the all-time tournament winnings list for women, have been on equal standing from the beginning. The World Series of Poker was one of the earliest entities to embrace equality, hosting the first WSOP Ladies Championship in 1977. Just 93 players entered the event but it was a start. The most recent version of this saw over 1,000 women enter this ground-breaking event.
At GGPoker, we have always pushed for inclusivity and have taken concrete steps to make women feel welcome. We have a Women’s Community on our platform, where women can connect and support each other and we, in conjunction with FLIP, The Fantastic Ladies In Poker, host Ladies only tournaments to help celebrate and promote the largest under-represented and under-appreciated portion of humanity.
These initiatives may seem small, but they are part of a larger effort to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for women in the poker world. By highlighting the accomplishments of women in poker, and creating opportunities for them to succeed, we are doing what we can to help to break down barriers.
By showing our support, we hope to grow the safe space we offer and hope that it spreads around the globe. We hope to encourage everyone to pursue their own dreams and ambitions, and by doing so, we believe we will promote the necessary change.
I’m sure some of you are reading this, taking the meaning with a grain of salt and tongue in cheek, believing we are pandering to the masses by jumping on the bandwagon of pro-women propaganda. And if that is what you are going to take away from this, that is fine, but that is not what this is about. Whether you believe us or not is immaterial, we have in the past and will continue to in the future, do our best to promote equality.
International Women’s Day is a day to celebrate the progress and success made by women while also recognizing the current challenges. The fact remains that it is 2023 and we, as human beings, still have to fight for equality. One would hope, that after thousands of years, we would have figured it out by now. Let’s work together to create a world where women are valued, respected, and empowered to succeed.
Sincerely,
The Wordsmith