Happy International Women’s Day, and welcome to the 2025 edition of Womann, dear reader. It is a pleasure to have you here.

It’s a weird time in the world. Apple and Google may have silently eradicated International Women’s Day from their digital calendars (along with Black History Month, Pride Month, and Holocaust Remembrance Day to name but a few others they’ve got rid of without telling anyone), but we at Isle of Man Today have zero intention of following suit. We are going full-on celebration mode, so grab your purple International Women’s Day party hat and dive in to the Womann section. Over the next six weeks you’ll find articles and interviews that take great pleasure in shouting loudly and proudly about some of the brilliant women living in our midst.

But wait, this isn’t a ‘no boys allowed’ section. We’re all about inclusivity here, and have features we hope all people can find entertainment, appreciation, or interest in.

We’ve got tales of glory in the likes of the Isle of Man Sports Awards’ Disability Sportsperson of the Year and host of the insanely popular podcast ‘Talking in the Dark,’ Evie Roberts. She’s rubbed shoulders with royalty and chin wagged with Stephen Fry, and is sitting inside these pages awaiting to regale you with stories so inspiring they make Henry V look like a lazy bum.

The lovely ladies from Visit Isle of Man and the Welcome Centre are here too, warmly beckoning you to their article where they’ll tell you about the work they’re doing in developing the island to make it a better place for residents and visitors alike. They’ve got big plans with their new initiative, Destination First, that highlight the importance of the little things. They also want to hear from YOU, dear reader, on your wants and needs. They’re thoughtful like that.

There’s the opportunity for a toilet break midway through, but prepare yourself for a wait in the queue. And while you do, pass the time by reading the ‘An ode to the women’s commode’ feature, as seen on gef.im, which investigates why there’s always a queue outside public women’s toilets. Standing in line for the loo is probably the easiest place for women to meet new people and make friends, which is great for our social lives but painful for our bladders. So, what’s going on?

Meanwhile, we’ll be packing some punches with former boxer, construction worker, taxi driver, prison guard, and now Manager of The Roundhouse, Cassi McAllister. She tells us about her experiences working in male-dominated industries and how they’ve help shape both her magnificent shoulders and the culture she’s creating in her new role.

Emily Todd – founder of menstrual education company Femm Collective and a Gef 30 Under 30 winner in 2023 – treats us to a candid chat about her journey as a young female entrepreneur and the benefits of finding mentors in the community.

If you find yourself feeling uncomfortable at the sight of the words period and menstruation, I suggest watching the recent interview between Trump, J.D. Vance, and President Zelensky. After that, reading about bodily fluids will be a breeze. The team from the Manx Menstrual Movement is here to chat about the latest developments in their campaign’s mission to legally make period products free for all in the Isle of Man, and why it’s bloody important (pun intended).

Also in Womann, Head of Client Accounting at Stonehage Fleming, Emma Cullington, delights us with her presence and highlights the importance of nurturing women in leadership roles, as well as the impact seeing brilliant women hurdle professional barriers has on giving others, like herself, the confidence to say, ‘I can do that too.’

Rare is the International Women’s Day that goes by without someone hitting back with the classic ‘BUT WHAT ABOUT MEN!?’ We’ll have a feature of the same name looking at the motivations behind that question and diving into some of the very real issues currently facing men. Turns out men, women, and most minority groups all have a common enemy, with their issues stemming from the exact same place… (Three dots to add mystery.)

We chat to our lovely friend at Hospice Isle of Man, Medical Director Dr. Justine Needham, who speaks about her professional journey working in palliative care, the importance of having female role models, and the effectiveness of leading with compassion.

And, to top it all off; we’ll have a list of films and books perfect for celebrating International Women’s Day in style. All you need to bring is your fabulous self and some popcorn. (Please do not ask me questions during the films. I like you, but will ignore you.)

So, here is where I leave you, dear reader. Grab a hot drink, pull up a comfy chair, and get ready to be empowered, inspired, and entertained by this year’s International Women’s Day section.