Today, if a hundred other news stories haven't already alerted you to this fact, is International Women's Day. It honors, it celebrates, it congratulates all the important things women do. It also, more and more, has evolved into an annual race by every brand to find some novel way to get in on the hype.

Here at WIRED Photo, we didn't want to be one of those brands, but we also wanted to acknowledge the great work of the female photographers we've commissioned over the past 12 months. So we decided to let them commemorate themselves—in their own words. Understandably, they want to be recognized for their photos, not their gender, but in an industry where they're more likely to experience sexism, less likely to be hired, and often paid less than their male counterparts, championing their contributions feels essential.

"I know I'm standing on the shoulders of giants to even be able to say this, but what it means to me is to not be labeled as a female photographer, but rather a photographer," says Dolly Faibyshev, one of the shutterbugs profiled below, all of whom provided portraits. "We don't refer to male photographers as male, you know? That's the ultimate sign of progress to me."

Want to know what progress looks like for some of the other photographers WIRED has worked with in the past year? Focus in below.

Akasha Rabut

Akasha Rabut

Other than your camera, what three items can you not live without?

Akasha Rabut: Palo santo, frankincense essential oil, and my sunshine necklace that a close friend made.

If you were to have a meal with anyone, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you eat?

AR: I would have a meal with Hilma Af Klint and I would take her to Burma Superstar in Oakland.

Last book you read?

AR: I just reread [Rainer Maria Rilke's] Letters to a Young Poet. It's important to keep that one handy.

Favorite film?

AR: That's super hard. I love so many films. My two favorite films right now are Dina and Moonlight and my all time favorite film is The City of God.

What does it mean to you to be a female-identifying photographer?

AR: It's complex, and it has its benefits. I find that I am invited into sacred spaces and trusted by many people because of my feminine energy. There is an incredible bond amongst female photographers. I think women understand how daunting this industry can be, especially since it's male-dominated. I've been in situations with male and female photographers and I always find that we have this inclination to stick together, support each other and treat each other with respect. This summer I was on the road with a group called Black Voters Matter. There were several photographers on the road covering the story. There were about four female photographers and one male. We stopped at a church and there was this really beautiful moment that happened between a mother and daughter. It was tranquil and soft. All the female photographers in the room saw it, and we all looked at each other and acknowledged what was happening. There was a mutual understanding that the woman closest in vicinity would capture this stunning and intimate moment. We all stayed out of her way and watched as she did. The only male photographer in the room loudly ran over as fast as he could. He stopped right next to the female photographer and shot rapidly over her shoulder. I was the next closest person to the situation and could have easily taken that photo.