LANSING, Mich.  – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer proclaimed March 8, 2024 as International Women's Day to celebrate women's social, economic, cultural, and political achievements. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women's equality in Michigan and inspiring inclusion, the theme of International Women’s Day 2024.  

"Today and every day, we celebrate women across our state and nation," said Governor Whitmer. "We look to our past and honor those who came before us. Women who secured footholds in the halls of power, shattered ceilings, and broke down doors designed to keep us out. We pay our respects to the women who helped us get to where we are, and we pledge to fight for those to come.  I'm proud of the work we've done in Michigan to advance women’s representation. From appointing more women to roles in state government to expanding economic opportunity, to strengthening protections for basic freedoms and delivering on the fundamental issues, we have made progress. I know that our future is bright because a generation of even stronger women is on the way. Let’s continue making progress so we can build a more equitable, more just Michigan where everyone can thrive."   

"More and more women continue to be firsts in their field or position, and I am so proud to see them lead with authority and authenticity across industries," said Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids), the first woman to lead the Michigan Senate. "As one of those firsts – the first woman to serve as senate majority leader in Michigan's history – I understand the additional, often unseen efforts that go into earning a seat at the table. We will continue to work to dissolve existing barriers for future generations of girls.”   

"With continued investments in programs and services that remove barriers that prevent women from full and continuous participation in the workforce, we will ensure Michigan women are fully accessing these opportunities," said Susan Corbin, Director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. "The Michigan Women's Commission is uniquely positioned to help connect women to these resources, paving a path for more Michigan women, children and families to succeed.”   

Since Governor Whitmer has taken office, she has strongly advocated for women's rights and empowerment in Michigan through numerous platforms, laws, legislations, and more. The governor declared this day to celebrate how far women in Michigan have come and to identify what still needs to be done as she continues to advocate for our state and nation.   

GOVERNOR WHITMER’S WORK TO EMPOWER WOMEN:   

• Repealed Michigan’s 1931 abortion ban. 

• Awarded grants to community-based organizations to help women workers understand and exercise their rights and benefits in the workplace. 
• Consistently invested in and expanded Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies, an initiative to address disproportionate racial impacts of maternal and infant mortality and ensure moms have the support they need for healthy pregnancies, deliveries, and postpartum care. Proposed an expansion to offer more services, continue reducing disparities. 
• Signed the Reproductive Health Act to decriminalize abortions and ensure access to reproductive healthcare. This helped to build on the momentum in expanding abortion access across the state.  
• Signed a package of bills to repeal the tax on essential menstrual products. This will drive down costs and save families from paying taxes on up to $4,800 of spending over the course of a lifetime 
• Increased the Working Families Tax Credit by putting an average of $3,150 into Michiganders’ pockets and assisting more than 700,000 Michigan households.   
• Expanded access to affordable childcare for 150,000 children.   

ENSURING REPRESENTATION IN STATE GOVERNMENT   

While in office, Governor Whitmer appointed more than 1,280 women to boards, commissions, and full-time positions. Over 60% of appointees and 70% of judges appointed are women or people of color. The governor’s cabinet and executive office staff are also more than two-thirds women and people of color, and she continues to work on making her cabinet resemble Michiganders and the nation.