Highlighting women’s achievements and barriers to equality: International Women's Day

Wednesday marks International Women’s Day, a globally recognized day to reflect and celebrate women’s achievements throughout history.

From fighting for the right to vote, to having a woman in the white house, women have certainly come a long way. But the push for equality is not over yet, as women’s rights are still being challenged internationally.

On Wednesday morning, Kate Young spoke at Revera Windermere on the Mount in London in light of International Women’s Day. The former journalist and Member of Parliament (MP) for London West spoke to the difficulties she encountered while working in male dominated industries.

“We always have to keep trying to move the dial to make sure that women are treated equally, which is why it’s important to have international women's day,” Young said.

Young became the first female anchor at CFPL-TV to cover the evening news in 1985.

Young told CTV News that at the time, many viewers, including women, didn't agree with her taking over as anchor and objected to the idea of a woman delivering the news.

“When I first started in radio, I was told in my first interview that they weren't going to hire me simply because I was a woman,” Young said. However, she eventually got her foot in the door in radio at CKSL and transitioned into TV News.

“When I moved into television it was at a time when women were just starting to co-anchor the news, you were never allowed to anchor the news alone. It always had to be with a man,” added Young.

Young worked as an anchor until 2004 when she decided to change her career path, which took her on the road to politics.

She was first elected as a liberal in 2015 and again in 2019. Young also served as a parliamentary secretary to a number of ministries including Transport, Science, People with Disabilities, and Economic Development.

“I’m so glad to see that women are anchoring the news alone and have been for many years.. It’s about time,” said Young.

As a former social worker and professor at King’s College, 94-year-old Rose-Marie Jaco said she grew up in a time where women faced many barriers in the workplace, and like Young, she often had to gain the respect of her male colleagues in order to gain a better position.

“What I saw when I was starting my career was that women had a very difficult time ever becoming the boss,” Jaco said.

“It was part of an accepted belief system that they could never be in charge. Well, Kate has blown that belief right out of the water and so many hundreds and thousands of other women,” Jaco chuckled.

It wasn’t until 1916 that women were given the right to vote in Canada, beginning with provincial elections in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. Overtime, women’s rights began to become a part of the conversation and pushed forth change including when British Columbia became the first province to pass legislation giving women six weeks of maternity leave in 1921.

It wasn’t until 1928 that Canada’s Olympic team first included female athletes.

Despite these triumphs, many people believe there is still more work that needs to be done in order to provide equal opportunities and equal pay for women of all backgrounds.

“Women still make less than men in the same jobs and that has got to change,” Young told CTV News. “Governments have to do more to make that happen, and I know that we are but it’s too slow,”

Brescia University College is also honouring International Women’s Day with a panel at 7 p.m. on campus.

“I think it’s also an opportunity to assess where are we at in terms of gender equity, in terms of all-inclusion issues,” said Dr. Lauretta Frederking, Brescia’s president.

“We have a responsibility to talk about those very complicated spaces where more needs to be done,” she said.