Apple, Google calendars omit International Women's Day, sparking user backlash
What's the story
On International Women's Day, users have reported that both Apple and Google have removed this important day from their Calendar apps.
The omission has drawn widespread criticism on social media. A quick check confirms the event is indeed missing from both tech giants' digital schedules.
Users on X claim that Apple's Calendar app in the US and other countries has also removed Women's History Month, a move reportedly mirrored by Google.
Criticism
Backlash over removal of significant events
The removal of these events has faced criticism, with many speculating it could be linked to the US government's attempts to curb diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in big tech companies.
This isn't the first time Google has been criticized for such actions; it had earlier removed Pride Month and Black History Month from its calendar.
Users on X have expressed disappointment over the removals.
User reactions
Take a look at what users say over calendar omissions
X user Grace Petrie (@gracepetrie) voiced her displeasure, tweeting, "It's bad enough that Apple has removed International Women's Day, Pride Month, and other minority community dates from their calendar. But it's especially rich considering they never once let me forget to observe the Battle of the Boyne."
Another user, Sherele Moody (@ShereleMoody), also expressed her anger by saying, "Yep. They did. Apple and Google just removed International Women's Day from their calendars. Apparently, we're not important enough."
No comment
No response from tech giants on criticism
Neither Apple nor Google have addressed the criticism or explained why they chose to remove these important events.
Google has been criticized for similar actions in the past when it removed Pride Month and Black History Month from its Calendar app.
The company had defended itself by saying it had manually added cultural celebrations, teachers' days, and other global events but found it increasingly difficult to include hundreds of moments in everyone's calendars.
Scenario
Trump's stand against DEI
After winning the US presidential election, Donald Trump emphasized his administration's strong opposition to DEI initiatives.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum, he stated, "My administration has taken action to abolish all discriminatory diversity, equity, and inclusion nonsense—and these are policies that were absolute nonsense—throughout the government and the private sector."