To the women who climb the corporate ladder, to the women who wish they could potty without an audience, to the women who show up when no one else does, to the women who birth babies, to the women who raise the babies of others, to the women who haven’t found their voice, to the women who live in suppression, to the women who are abused, to the women who are free, to the women who work behind the scenes, to the women who feel celebrated, to the women who feel forgotten, to the most educated of women, to the least educated of women, to the women who fill in the gaps, to the women who are weary, to the women who are refreshed, to the women who came before, and to the women who are yet to come: I am proud to stand by you. At the top of this list is my Momma, who showed me who I am, and what it means to be a woman.

And to the men who see us and celebrate us, who stand by us as equals, not above us or beneath us, thank you. You are a unique breed, and I’m also proud to stand by you. At the top of this list is the man who has championed me since birth, and the man with whom I’m raising three more. They have always seen who I am, even when I haven’t.

And to the woman who had to write this post on her phone in the bathtub because it’s the only quiet moment she’s had alone all day, be kind to yourself. You’re doing more than you think you are.

Happy International Women’s Day.