What is International Women’s Day? Google's animation tells history of feminism
International Women's Day is celebrated annually on 8 March
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Google is celebrating International Women’s Day with a Google Doodle inspired by the event's history.
The annual event, which falls on 8 March, is a global celebration of the social, economic and political achievements of women and serves to champion women’s rights, female empowerment and gender equality.
On Sunday, Google is celebrating the day with a special animated video designed to represent both the history of the day and the significance it has for women across generations.
The animation, which features a multilayered 3D paper mandala, was illustrated by New York and London-based guest artists Julie Wilkinson and Joyanne Horscroft from Makerie Studio and animated by Zurich-based guest animators Marion Willam & Daphne Abderhalden from DRASTIK GmbH.
The mandala’s black-and-white central layer reflects women around the world during the late 1800s to the 1930s amidst labour movements, while the second layer depicts women from the 1950s to the 1980s – a landmark era in the wake of gender equality and rapid changes to the status quo.
Finally, the outer layer symbolises women from the 1990s to the present-day, in the context of progress made from over 100 years of women’s rights movements.
“It pays tribute to breaking barriers from former cultural and gender roles, as women continue to question, reclaim, and redefine ideas about the roles women take on in society,” Google says.
“As today’s women stand on the shoulders of those who have fought and made sacrifices in the generations past, they likewise carry the legacy of the movement forward. Here’s to the women across sectors, industries, nations, ages, and cultures, who persist tirelessly to take charge together—paving the way for future generations to come.”
Speaking of the collaboration, the team at DRASTIK GmbH said that working on the Doodle reminded them of the sacrifices women have made throughout history in the name of equal rights.
“There was so much thought put into each of the 35 characters and how they were placed within the mandala,” they said.
“Starting from the centre, it walks us through different time periods and depicts the issues women were facing in these times. Our biggest takeaway from the artwork is that we were reminded of how women fought and evolved through history so we can live the free life we live today.
“Without these women, the world would look much different.”
The team from Makerie Studio agreed, adding that they hope the animation gives people hope for the future and an “insight into how far we’ve already come”.
“We drew a lot of inspiration from the history of International Women's Day and its humble roots, showing how the movement has grown exponentially over the years,” they said.
“We loved the idea of visually representing the number of women involved in each stage, from the Suffragettes to women today, and portraying how their freedoms gradually expanding as the movement has evolved.”
For more information on the ways you can celebrate this International Women’s Day on Sunday 8 March, click here.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments