Today is International Women’s Day (IWD): a day for everyone to celebrate the women in their lives simply for the fact that they are women. So if you are reading this and identify as a woman, cheers to you today! You are loved, you are appreciated, you are valuable and capable and understood.
To be honest, I wasn’t aware of this holiday until I was in college. Even then, I felt that it was another one of those days that called for a general acknowledgement, but no further celebrations or traditions. Last year was the first time I realized that the day could (and honestly, should) be commemorated with larger gestures and traditions. My fiancé Eduards explained that in Latvia, women are given a bouquet of flowers and showered in kind messages from friends and family on IWD, usually followed by going out for a family dinner. This seemed a lot more meaningful than the flood of general and obligatory Instagram stories I would participate in posting and viewing.
Now, I see IWD as a day to reflect on the women in my life, their amazing traits, and the impact they have had on my life. But I also see it as a day to reflect on the fight for female equality that has been ongoing across the globe and throughout history. It’s a day of admiration and respect, as well as a celebration of the strength and beauty that is found in womanhood.
History of International Women’s Day.
International Women’s Day can be traced back to as early as 1909 when the Socialist Party of America organized a National Women’s Day to be celebrated in New York City on February 28. The following year, German delegate Clara Zetkin proposed at a Conference of Working Women in Denmark that a special Women’s Day be organized annually. The proposal was met with unanimous approval, though no specific date was set. As a result, various demonstrations and commemorations of IWD were held across Europe in 1911. Among the countries that celebrated were Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Marches and demonstrations were often an important part of the event.
On March 25th of that same year, the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire occured in New York City where over 140 women were killed in a tragic factory fire, most of whom were young Jewish and Italian immigrants. This tragedy sparked a renewed interest in improving working conditions for women and the cause became tied to IWD.
In 1913, Russian woman celebrated their first IWD on February 28, though March 8 was later that year decided as the marked calendar date for IWD. In 1917, Russian women gained suffrage after extensive strike efforts. From then on, it was most commonly celebrated amongst followers of the socialist movement and communist countries. (Hence why my Latvian fiancé whose country was part of the Soviet Union from 1940-1991 has been a much more active observer of IWD than I have).
The holiday was associated with far-leftist movements and governments until its adoption by the global feminist movement in the lates 1960s. The United Nations recognized and celebrated IWD for the first time in 1975. Today, IWD is celebrated in 80 countries across the globe.
More Interesting Info About IWD:
This year’s IWD theme is #ChooseToChallenge, and as it says on the IWD website, this theme was chosen because “a challenged world is an alert world. And from challenge comes change.” In addition to a theme, the internationally recognized holiday has specific associated colors: purple, green, and white. Purple is symbolic of justice and dignity, while green represents hope, and white stands for purity.
Words of Wisdom for IWD:
“Feminism has never been about getting a job for one woman. It’s about making life more fair for women everywhere. It’s not about a piece of the existing pie; there are too many of us for that. It’s about baking a new pie.” -Gloria Steinem
“Misogyny has not been completely wiped out anywhere. Rather, it resides on a spectrum, and our best hope for eradicating it globally is for each of us to expose and to fight against local versions of it, in the understanding that by doing so we advance the global struggle.” – Mona Eltahawy
“I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” – Audre Lorde
How Can We Celebrate IWD?
As I mentioned earlier, until last year I never thought to create deeper traditions around IWD. But this day is deserving of more attention and intentionality. It was a mere 100 years and 7 months ago that the amendment granting white women the right to vote was ratified, though black women had to endure nearly five more decades to enjoy the same privilege. The struggle for true equality is still ongoing. Celebrating IWD with greater purpose affirms that all women should feel empowered and uplifted for their identity in womanhood.
With that said, there are so many great ways to celebrate IWD, including showing love and appreciation for the women who have made an direct and personal impact on your life. While it’s important that we know our worth internally, it’s important that we speak out our appreciation for one another, too. Celebrating IWD can also go beyond showering our friends and family with love. To honor the history of the holiday and the enduring fight for equality, try finding a feminist organization to support or volunteer at. We can all work together to help create a future that is brighter, safer, and more equal and rewarding. Let’s make every day International Women’s Day!
Sources and further reading:
“About International Women’s Day.” International Women’s Day.com.
Grever, Maria. “The Pantheon of Feminist Culture: Women’s Movements and the Organization of Memory.” Gender & History 9.2 (1997): 364–74. Print.
Kaplan, Temma. “On the Socialist Origins of International Women’s Day.” Feminist Studies 11.1 (1985): 163–71. Print.
Lewis, Jone Johnson. “Learn the Reason Why International Women’s Day Is so Important.” ThoughtCo, 2020, www.thoughtco.com/international-womens-day-3529400.
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