ST. LOUIS — March is Women's History Month, and March 8 is annually recognized as International Women's Day.
What is International Women's Day, you might wonder? It is the day for celebrating the social, political, cultural and economic achievements of women all over the globe, according to the official International Women's Day website.
2023's International Women's Day campaign theme is "#EmbraceEquity."
The goal for the theme is to "get the world talking about why equal opportunities aren't enough. People start from different places, so true inclusion and belonging require equitable action," the IWD website said.
Learn more about #EmbraceEquity by clicking here.
History and background
In 1909, the Socialist Party of America declared February 28 to be the first National Women's Day in the United States, in honor of the one-year anniversary of the 1908 garment workers strike in New York, according to the United Nations.
According to the International Women's Day website, women celebrated National Women's Day on the last Sunday of February until 1913.
In 1910, the Socialist International established a Women's Day in a meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark. The day, international in character, according to the UN, was designated to honor the movement for women's rights and increase support for achieving universal suffrage for women.
After the 1910 decision in Denmark, International Women's Day was honored in several European countries in 1911. Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Denmark celebrated IWD on March 19, 1911.
On Feb. 23, 1913, Russian women began celebrating their first International Women's Day.
It was decided in 1913 that March 8 would be internationally recognized as International Women's Day.
The United Nations began celebrating International Women's Day on March 8, 1975, during International Women's Year. In December of 1977, the UN formally recognized International Women's Day on March 8.
Click here to learn more about International Women's Day on the United Nations' website.
How to celebrate and support
International Women's Day is celebrated widely in many cities with parades and all-day celebrations on March 8.
There are no official IWD celebrations in St. Louis in 2023, but one of the best ways to celebrate International Women's Day is to support local women and their businesses.
We've compiled a list of a few local, women-owned businesses you can support for International Women's Day, during Women's History Month or really just any time of the year.
April's On Main sells unique decorations, women's accessories, silk floral arrangements and more. April's On Main is located on Historic Main Street in downtown St. Charles. Click here to learn more about April's on Main and the shop's owner, April.
Boheme Boutique sells women's apparel and accessories, gifts and some home décor. Boheme is located in Edwardsville, Illinois, and City Foundry STL. Click here to learn more about Boheme Boutique and the store's owner, Meg.
Britt's Bakehouse sells gluten free and celiac-safe breads, cakes, cookies, cupcakes, pastries and much more. All of Britt's goods are handcrafted to be as delicious as they would be with gluten. Britt's Bakehouse is located in Kirkwood. Click here to learn more about Britt's Bakehouse and bakery owner, Britt.
Circa Boutique + Gifts sells apparel for women, men and babies, along with home wares, beauty and bath products, gifts and more. Circa is located in Belleville, Illinois. Click here to learn more about Circa Boutique + Gifts.
Clementine's Naughty & Nice Creamery is an ice cream shop which sells unique small-batch ice cream flavors, including alcoholic and vegan options. Clementine's has seven locations across the St. Louis area, and one location in Edwardsville, Illinois. Click here to learn more about Clementine's and its owner, Tamara.
Collections by Joya sells a collection of hand-crafted jewelry created by artists around the world. Collections by Joya has one brick-and-mortar location in City Foundry STL called Sojourn By Joya. Click here to learn more about Collections by Joya and the owner, Betsy.
Cozy Shop sells handmade midwestern-themed items, as well as accessories, apparel, gifts, décor, art and more. Cozy Shop is located on Historic Main Street in downtown St. Charles. Click here to learn more about Cozy Shop and its owner, Lydia.
Fiddlehead Fern Café focuses on high-quality ingredients and serves salads, toasts, soups and a quiche of the day. Drinks offered range from teas, to coffees and cocktails. Fiddlehead Fern is located in the Shaw neighborhood in St. Louis. Click here to learn more about Fiddlehead Fern Café and the cafe's owner, Darcy.
Golden Gems sells and designs apparel, accessories, home decor and stationery. Golden Gems has two locations in St. Louis on Locust Street and in City Foundry STL. Click here to learn more about Golden Gems and owners, Amanda and Susan.
Ju Ju B's Boutique sells apparel, jewelry, accessories, hair products and hair accessories. Ju Ju B's is located in Chesterfield and on Historic Main Street in downtown St. Charles. Click here to learn more about Ju Ju B's and the store's owners, Julie and Beth.
Maypop Coffee & Garden Shop sells plants and coffee, with the opportunity to shop and browse as you enjoy the coffee shop offerings. Maypop Coffee & Garden is located in Webster Groves. Click here to learn more about Maypop Coffee & Garden Shop and the owner, Tammy.
Paperdolls Boutique sells women's clothing, accessories and shoes. It offers an online store, as well as three retail locations in Ballwin, Kirkwood and University City. Click here to learn more about Paperdolls Boutique and the shop's owner, Beth.
Snapdragon Studio is a fine art floral design studio with a focus on weddings and events, that also creates flowers for everyday occasions. Snapdragon Studio is located in the Princeton Heights neighborhood in St. Louis. Click here to learn more about Snapdragon Studios and its owner, Silvia.
Story Seven is a shop which sells home décor, personal accessories including baby items and jewelry, as well as gifts. Story Seven is located in Webster Groves. Click here to learn more about Story Seven and its owners, Melanie, Sarah and Karen.
Sweet Honey is an online brand created by artist Ash. Sweet Honey offers a variety of original artwork, hand-illustrated prints and uniquely branded goods. Click here to learn more about Sweet Honey and the brand's owner, Ash.
Yemanja Brasil Restaurante offers traditional Brazilian cuisine and a taste of Brazilian culture right here in St. Louis. Yemanja Brasil is located in the Benton Park neighborhood in St. Louis. Click here to learn more about Yemanja Brasil and the restaurant's owner, Lemya.
There are hundreds more women-owned businesses in the St. Louis area that you can support that are not on this list. Linked below are two additional lists posted by STL Support Local on Instagram. We encourage you to check out the women-owned businesses on those lists, and in your hometown and support them however possible.
Click here to go to the International Women's Day website to learn more about International Women's Day, its history and mission.