A group of about 35 women and men of all ages gathered at the Cape Cod lounge yesterday to celebrate International Women’s Day, sharing bold and courageous stories about themselves or other women in their lives at the first western Massachusetts “That Takes Ovaries!” open mic.

“Move over gentlemen, it’s time for the ladies!” Rivka Solomon, editor of “That Takes Ovaries!: Bold Females and Their Brazen Acts,” said to the crowd. “It’s time to reject all that keeps women unsure or quiet.”

Stories ranged from the silly and funny to the deep and meaningful.

One woman spoke about being suspended in the sixth grade for punching a boy in the arm after he told a sexist joke, while another woman told of her experience growing up in Palestine and being imprisoned while in college for participating in a pretend wedding put on as a celebration of Palestine culture without the consent of her parents.

Some stories were read directly from Solomon’s book.

One story in particular called “Educating Bill Clinton” told of a teacher who attended a George Washington University basketball game where Bill Clinton was in attendance with his daughter Chelsea. When she saw the president get up to leave after the men were done playing, the teacher asked him to show support for women athletes also and to stay for their game. Her attempt was successful and Clinton stayed to root the women’s team on.

Sandy Mandel, associate director of special events for the Everywoman’s Center, participated in the open mic herself, sharing a story of how she avoided using road rage when threatened by a car full of young boys at 2 a.m. one night. By going to the police station with the car’s license plate, Mandel said she was able to “take action without putting herself in danger.”

Katina, a local artist and teacher at Amherst High School, spoke of the controversy surrounding the idea of young women talking about their vaginas.

“I am really happy [the production] went up, the students have learned so much,” Katina, the co-director of the “Vagina Monologues” production at the school, said. “I’m so incredibly proud of them.”

One man took the opportunity to tell a story about his mother, who in the 1950s was not allowed to take advanced courses at her high school. He said women being forced to take courses such as home economics rather than scientific courses were the “realities of people’s consciousness” and his mother was prepared to fight back. She eventually convinced her principal to allow her take the advanced courses, the man said, and was the first women of many to study science at the school.

“Women shouldn’t let fear get in the way of anything,” Thalia, one of the women who shared a story said, after telling about how she got the courage to travel abroad on her own for the first time.

Some women said they would not normally get up and speak in front of a crowd, but took the risk of telling a story themselves because they had been inspired by the other women participating in the event.

Phoebe, a Daily Hampshire Gazette reporter said, “I don’t usually speak at the events I cover, but I thought – why not?”

She proceeded to talk about how she protested a Miss America pageant from being held in Springfield and convinced Sammy Davis Jr., head of the event to get back on his bus, turn around and go home.

“Beauty pageants aren’t a good thing for women in general,” Phoebe said.

Solomon talked about how she has been leading this open mic movement with a disability called “chronic fatigue syndrome” which she said has kept her bedridden for almost 90 percent of her life.

“It takes ovaries for me to be able to write the book and participate in the movement with my invisible disability,” Solomon said.

Solomon said she decided to start the open mic movement because her book was only able to share 64 women’s stories, but wanted all women to have the opportunity to share stories of their gutsy, outrageous and courageous acts.

“It’s a delight to be here for International Women’s Day,” she said. “It’s important to recognize all women’s strengths and accomplishments and be part of the global movement that is currently happening.”

Yesterday’s event was sponsored by the Everywoman’s Center. Any women interested in organizing a “That Takes Ovaries!” open mic can get the guidelines from the back of the book or on www.thattakesovaries.org.