It's a day to recognize female achievement and a call to action, encouraging everyone to stand up for women's rights and gender equality.

這天用來認可女性成就，並呼籲大家行動，鼓勵所有人支持女權以及性別平等。

Gender equality means, "no matter your gender, you're granted the same rights, privileges, and access to opportunities as everyone else."

性別平等的意思是：「無論性別，你都被賦予與每個人同樣的權利、特權以及機會」。

You may be thinking, "Why is this day so important?"

你可能會想：「這天為什麼這麼重要？」

Throughout history, women have had to fight for the freedom and rights we enjoy today.

綜觀歷史，女性必須奮鬥爭取我們今天享有的自由以及權利。

150 years ago, women couldn't vote, stand in parliament, receive proper medical attention, own property,

150 年前，女性不得投票、參與國會、接受良好醫療服務、擁有房產、

access fair legal support, get paid the same as men, visit the same public areas as men, get a proper education...

取得公平的法律支援、與男性享有同等薪資、造訪與男性相同的公共場合、獲得正當教育⋯⋯

The list goes on.

清單持續增加。

150 years ago, people lived in a very different world to what we know now.

150 年前，人們活在一個與我們現在所知截然不同的世界。

So, how did things change?

那麼，一切是怎麼改變的？

Someone didn't snap their fingers and then, bam, women had all the rights.

並不是說在某個人彈指之後，女性就享有所有權利。

Change occurred gradually through the tireless efforts of brave women and men fighting together for what is right.

改變是逐漸發生的，透過無數勇敢男、女不斷地為正確的時共同奮鬥。

Let's rewind.

讓我們倒帶一下。

In the late 19th century, the fight for women's suffrage began gaining momentum.

19 世紀晚期時，女性投票權的奮鬥開始獲得動力。

Suffrage means "the right to vote", and at this time, only men could do so.

Suffrage 表示「投票的權利」，而在此時，只有男性可以投票。

This meant that all the political decisions were decided by men, including those that only affected women.

這表示所有政治決策都是由男性決定，包括那些只影響女性的決策。

As time passed, some women grew increasingly frustrated by the lack of progress and failed attempts to achieve suffrage.

隨著時間過去，一些婦女開始對缺乏進展和實現選舉權的嘗試失敗感到越發沮喪。

One of these women was Emmeline Pankhurst, who responded by forming the Women's Social and Political Union in 1903, which encouraged a stronger kind of activism.

其中一名女性是艾米琳·潘克斯特，她的反應是在 1903 年成立了婦女社會政治聯盟，鼓勵了更強大的行動主義。

This led to years of protests, rallies, and strikes, with women being arrested, jailed, injured, and some even losing their lives in the fight for suffrage.

這導致了多年的抗議、集會和罷工，婦女在爭取選舉權的過程中被逮捕、送入獄、受傷，有些甚至喪命。

When the First World War was declared in 1914, suffragettes shifted their campaign to encourage women's involvement in the war effort.

當第一次世界大戰於 1914 年宣戰時，女權主義擁護者將其運動轉向鼓勵婦女參與戰爭後援。

The devastation of war brought the nation together in support of one another, and attitudes began to change.

戰爭的破壞凝聚了全國人民並相互支持，而態度開始發生變化。

Women took on responsibilities and jobs that they were previously excluded from, like working as mechanics and drivers.

婦女承擔了過往被排除在外的責任和工作，如擔任機械師和司機。

In 1918, the Representation of the People Bill was passed, giving women the right to vote.

1918 年，《人民代表法案》通過，給予婦女投票權。

However, it was only some women of a certain age and circumstance.

然而它僅限某個年齡層、某情況下的女性。

It wasn't until 1928 that all women over 21 were finally allowed to vote.

一直到 1928 年，所有年齡 21 歲以上的女性才終於被准許投票權。

The right to vote is instrumental in creating a society that is fair and just.

投票權對於創造一個公平、公正的社會至關重要。

Imagine if all (of) the UK were one gigantic football team: half of the team can play exactly as they are, while the other is blindfolded.

想像整個英國是一大足球隊，一半的球員可以隨心所欲地踢球，另一半則要戴上眼罩。

The team probably isn't going to do so great.

球隊的表現大概不會太好。

The same goes for a society.

一個社會也是如此。

If everyone has the same rights and freedoms, a society can grow and develop in a way that benefits everyone.

如果每個人都擁有同樣的權利和自由，一個社會就能以對所有人有益的方式成長並發展。

Once women were able to vote, the ball began rolling on other rights, like political representation, access to greater opportunities, fairer pay, and working rights.

一旦女性獲得了投票權，其它權利就開始推動了，例如政治代表、獲得更多機會的管道、更公平的薪資以及工作權。

As you can see, change takes time.

如你可見，改變是需要時間的。

It wasn't until 1979 that Britain had its first female prime minister, which was 76 years after Emmeline Pankhurst first established the Women's Social and Political Union.

英國一直要到 1979 年才有第一位女首相，距離艾米琳·潘克斯特首次成立了婦女社會政治聯盟已有 76 年。

So, what does gender equality look like today?

那麼，今日的性別平等是什麼樣子的呢？

We are fortunate to live in a time and place where incredible opportunities are in abundance.

我們很幸運地生活在一個充斥著不可思議機會的時空。

Everyone can get an education, access healthcare, get a job, and speak their minds.

每個人都可以接受教育、獲得醫療保健、找到工作並說出自己的想法。

However, we still have some work to do before we reach equality for all.

然而，在實現人人平等之前，我們仍有一些工作要做。

One way that gender inequality plays out in our everyday life is through stereotypes.

性別不平等在日常生活中的一種表現方式是刻板印象。

A stereotype is "a generalized opinion of a person or group of people".

刻板印象是「對某人或某群人的摡括性意見」。

Ever heard someone say something like, "You throw like a girl" or "Boys don't cry"?

聽過有人說「你丟東西像個女孩一樣」或是「男孩是不會哭的」這種話嗎？

These kinds of phrases exist because of centuries of restrictive ideas about gender that really aren't true or fair.

這些話語之所以存在，是因為數世紀關於性別、不真實或不公平的限制性思想。

People are way too unique and complex to fit neatly in a box.

人類太過獨特、複雜，不能好好地放在一個框架中。

Girls⏤and boys⏤can be athletic, fast, and strong.

女孩和男孩都可以是運動神經好、速度快且強壯的。

And, of course, everyone cries; it's normal and healthy to express your feelings and to be vulnerable.

還有，每個人當然都會哭，表達自己的感受和脆弱是正常且健康的。

Stereotypes can be really damaging and can prevent you from being yourself and reaching your potential.

刻板印象可能真的極具傷害性，阻礙你做自己、實現潛力。

Today, women are still the minority in parliament, leadership roles, and career fields like science and engineering, as well as making less money than men on average.

今日在國會、領導層級和像是科學與工程等職業領域中，女性仍是少數，而且平均收入低於男性。

So, this International Women's Day, think about what you could do to help in the fight for equality.

所以說，今年的國際婦女節，想想你能做些什麼來幫助爭取平等。

Everyone benefits when we are all treated equally.

當我們都被平等對待時，每個人都會受益。

Why not celebrate the amazing achievements of women you admire?

為什麼不慶祝你所崇拜的女性和她們的驚人成就呢？

Especially now you know just what it took to get there.

尤其是在你知道達成這個目的付出過了什麼。