On International Women’s Day, SC women stand to say they ‘deserve ... an equal voice’

On a day when women around the world campaigned for rights and respect, and when South Carolina lawmakers considered women’s ease of access to birth control, around two dozen pink- and red-clad women stood outside the state capitol Wednesday in a show of feminine solidarity.

They answered the call of International Women’s Day, coinciding with national “A Day Without a Woman” strikes and demonstrations, to bring attention to women’s accomplishments and obstacles.

Among the Columbia women’s topics of concern: equal pay, reproductive rights, sexual harassment and respect in the workplace.

“We don’t agree on everything,” said Jennifer McBroom, 42 and a Columbia real estate agent. “... There are differences we have politically and how we raise our families. But I think one thing we need to all grasp and get together on is we all deserve to have an equal voice in this society. And the only way that is going to happen is when women are represented in government, when they’re represented in jobs, and when they’re getting paid equally for the work they’re doing.”

Meanwhile, another Columbia event honoring International Women’s Day gave credit to a class of “trailblazers” in the Palmetto State.

The Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network (WREN) hosted a luncheon Wednesday to honor these nine women for their personal, professional and philanthropic achievements: Vickie Eslinger, Dr. Bambi Gaddist, Marjorie Hammock, Cynthia Hardy, Rachel Hodges, Moryah Jackson, Minor Shaw, Molly Spearman and Inez Tenenbaum.

This story was originally published March 8, 2017 at 4:14 PM with the headline "On International Women’s Day, SC women stand to say they ‘deserve ... an equal voice’."