pipes|drums accelerates action on International Women’s Day 2025

For decades, pipes|drums has spotlighted not only women and girls in piping and drumming but also the challenges they have encountered and continue to face as our tradition-based piping and drumming culture moves away from male-dominated mores that naturally evolved from military and conservative roots.

For International Women’s Day (IWD) 2025 on Saturday, March 8th, pipes|drums will take action by turning over our social media to women in piping and pipe bands.

This year’s theme calls upon everyone to Accelerate Action to increase the rate of gender equality worldwide.

“The piping and drumming world has made good strides forward, but there is much more to be done to change our culture.”

“Focusing on the need to Accelerate Action emphasizes the importance of taking swift and decisive steps to achieve gender equality,” said pipes|drums editor and publisher Andrew Berthoff. “It’s a call for increased momentum and urgency in addressing the systemic barriers and biases that women face, both personally and professionally. The piping and drumming world has made good strides forward, but there is much more to be done to change our culture.”

During the IWD social media takeover, piper Eilidh MacDonald will host and post on the pipes|drums Instagram throughout the day, building on the themes from last year’s article and many pipes|drums women-themed articles over time. Posts will be mirrored on the pipes|drums Facebook page.

Throughout the day, we want to hear many voices and feel the energy for gender equality in our piping and pipe band world. No matter where you are, follow along, join in, and see what the piping and drumming world has to say to accelerate action on IWD 2025.

Stay tuned to our Instagram and Facebook pages to watch, read, contribute and see how the constructive conversations develop!