March, 8 – What Are We Celebrating?

Today is March, 8, known in some parts of the world as International Women’s Day. The holiday celebrates the respect, appreciation, and love towards women for women. However historically, the Women’s Day was meant to recognize struggles of working-class women and praise their social achievements.

An annual “international women’s day” was first organised by the German political activist and theorist Clara Zetkin along with 100 delegates of International Women Conference from 17 countries in March 1911  in remembrance of the 1908 strike of the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union. The very first “Women’s Day” was held under the slogan “The vote for women will unite our strength in the struggle for socialism”. On that gathering women demanded their right to vote and also protested against sex discrimination at work.

The date was picked up by Russian women in 1917 in their protest for “Bread and Peace”. The strike was successful, and 4 days later the provisional Government granted women the right to vote. On international level the Women’s Day was recognized as the UN Day for women’s rights and world peace in 1975, during the International Women’s Year at the United Nations.

If you care about women’s rights and gender equality, today is the perfect day to show your appreciation. There’re multiple ways to do it .

Traditional way – give flowers. A lot of flowers. Honestly, go to the shop and buy as much as you can. Then give them to all women you are sharing this day with. They will appreciate.

Romantic way – give your attention. This one would be reserved for those “really important ones”. Call you mother, sister, best female friend and have at least 15 minutes chat. Talk about what they mean to you and how grateful you are for their existence.

Spacey way – do what the Soviets did in 1973, write your greet on the Moon. On 18 January 1973 Lunokhod 2 moon rover created a circular mark with its wheels which resembled figure 8. The later is referred to as a memorial to commemorate International Women’s Day, 8 March. Get your moon rover ready well in advance  – it took 4 months for Lunokhod 2 to complete its Women’s Day project 🙂