International Women's Day

Thursday, March 8th is International Women's Day.

In many countries, International Women's Day is an occasion to celebrate and praise women for their accomplishments.

It is a time to remember the amazing women that fought for equality.

I asked women of all ages, "What are the best things about being a woman?"

Christy Turlington Burns (Global Maternal Health Advocate) - Women hold the potential for the unlimited capacity to give of themselves.

Christy Turlington Burns

Julie Goodwin (Australia’s First Masterchef) - The best things about being a woman are motherhood, and girlfriends. Bringing children into the world, and mothering them, is an incredible privilege and has been the great joy of my life. And of course, I love my girlfriends. I love the way women connect with each other, the insights we share and the support and strength we offer each other.

Julie Goodwin, first Australian Masterchef winner

Becci, 45 - You can grow a human being inside your body. Oh and you can wear trousers OR dresses up the shops and not be seen as weird. Oh and multitask. Oh and dance like a dag and still be desirable. Supposedly.

Sophie Falkiner (television personality) - Motherhood, girlfriends and surprising egotistical men that you actually have a brain!

Sophie Falkiner

Dee, 61 - What is the best thing about being a woman? I can't imagine being anything else. Women are fabulous , and I'm so glad to be one.

Wendy Harmer (writer and comedian) – I've never, ever wanted to be a man. What does that say?

Wendy Harmer

Donna, 38 - The best thing about being a woman is the super power to bear life beyond your own and NOT having to shave your face everyday.

Catriona Rowntree (television personality) - Our depth of compassion, our crazy curiosity and exquisite curves, life's good being a gal.

Emma Ashton (www.realityravings.com.au) - The best bit about being a woman is once you have children they give you the strength to fight lions, fix hurts with kisses, and feel depths of emotions you never knew existed.

Jac Bowie (Artistic Director and Producer) - For me, it's our never ending ability to multi-task. To juggle a career, kids, husbands, friends. And - still manage to make it all look somewhat easy. It's amazing what a woman can fit into one day!

Jac Bowie

Charlotte Dawson (television personality) - Best thing about being a woman is having so many choices and using those choices to be free of judgement if you choose to rise above it.

Charlotte Dawson (right), raising funds for the Smile Foundation on Celebrity Apprentice Australia

Coral (retired preschool teacher) - The secret womens' business that we all relate to.......no matter what colour, what race.......we all share the same secret business....

Leona Edmiston (fashion designer) - Playing dress-up's everyday!

Fashion Designer, Leona Edmiston

Kathy Lette (writer) - The best thing about being a woman are multiple orgasms, making this is a multiple choice question, obviously.

Writer, Kathy Lette

Karen (school support worker) - The best thing about being a woman is having a husband and two sons who just accept that giving birth and running a house is my domain. They love me unconditionally because to them, I am a woman, the only one they live with. It is so special. I'm sure the kids will meet amazing women, but for now, I'm it for all three of them.

Ros Reines (newspaper columnist) - The best thing about being a woman is having given birth to my son, Joel and being able to nurture and support him. He is now 18 years old and a caring, beautiful human being. I have always been a hands on single mum since day one but I love indulging in the frivolity of being a woman. I love jewellery and beautiful clothes, getting my hair and makeup done, being pampered. I never feel guilty about this because I have had to be the breadwinner and in charge of maintenance around the home. Perhaps the really great thing about being a woman is never being shy about articulating my feelings.

Ros Reines

Susie (marriage celebrant) - I could do the no bra, no shaving, bib and braces hippie militant thing of my past (all of which is still relevant in today's world)........but for me now the best thing about being a woman is exploring the rich deep vein of my femaleness........the very complex interplay of of my deep instinctual urges combined with my learned societal responses. Now that I am nearing my sixties, I am much freer.....to be myself, not what is expected of me, not what I want everyone to see.......but to be authentically me......and that is the real gift of age for women.

Kate Ceberano (singer) - the best thing about being a woman is.... Everything!!!!!!

Singer, Kate Ceberano

Christine, Blacktown NSW - I think the best thing about being a woman is sharing time and space with the wonderful, amazing, fantastic women I know among my family and friends, as well as the many women I look up to and admire.

Tracy Grimshaw (Host of A Current Affair) - People think its awesome when we can use power tools. These days men are expected to be able to do this, plus cook, clean, iron.

Tracy Grimshaw, host of A Current Affair

Jenny Orchard (ceramic artist) - The best thing about being a woman is being able to have babies.

Shanna Moakler (actor, Miss USA 1995, model) - I think the best part about being a woman is.... we are life givers, the fact that we can carry and nurture life in our bodies has always been so awe inspiring to me... I think it's this ability that also makes women so compassionate and strong.

Shanna Moakler

Tara Moss (author and television presenter) - To me, there are more positives about being a woman than I can articulate in only a couple of sentences, but one of the things I enjoy most is the enriching friendships I have found with other women, and on a more basic level, the joy of being not just a woman, but a woman NOW. In this time, in this country, I can write what I want, say what I feel, wear what I like, and be in the relationship of my choosing, able to earn my own financial security. These are all basic human rights, something every person deserves, and I can enjoy these freedoms every day knowing they were afforded me by the hard-fought battles of women who came before me. It is an exciting time.

Author and television presenter, Tara Moss

Gabrielle Revere (Celebrity and fashion photographer) - The best thing about being a woman is having the gift of giving life and the instinct to love, unconditionally.

Photographer, Gabrielle Revere

Melissa Hoyer (journalist and media commentator) - Sure, us females have proven we can doing just about anything on the workfront; have slowly cracked the glass ceiling; and our confidence has successfully lobbied our way to social equality. But only a woman can give birth to new life. And for me, nothing can beat that.