Why is March 8th Women's Day? History and origins
8 March, Women's Day: origins and celebrations
International Women's Day, commonly known in Italy as Women's Day, celebrated its first centenary in 2009.
Its origins date back to the beginning of the last century: the first National Women's Day was celebrated on February 28, 1909 in the United States, at the invitation of the American Socialist Party, which had designated this date in memory of the strike of thousands of New York shirtmakers who in the 1908 they had claimed better working conditions. Because injustices, hunger and pain reduce like this:
Here's why saying yes to mimosa: benefits and properties of an underrated plant
The following year, the anniversary also arrived in the Old Continent: on the occasion of the Copenhagen Congress, the Socialist International decided to establish International Women's Day, to promote women's rights and contribute to the campaign in favor of universal suffrage. At the time, a precise date had not yet been established, and following the American model, the day fell on the last Sunday in February.
In 1911 Germany, Austria, Denmark and Switzerland were the first European nations to celebrate Women's Day. Wage claims, the right to vote and to exercise public functions, the elimination of discrimination were the themes at the center of the debate, which was attended by more than a million people, between men and women.
History of women's day: from the Russian revolution to the fire in the factory
The strong political connotation of the Day contributed to the loss of historical memory on its origins, so different theories overlapped creating confusion on the birth of the event.
According to some, the date of Women's Day is linked to the Russian Revolution: March 8 of the Gregorian calendar coincides with February 23 of the Julian calendar, the historic day on which, in 1917, Russian women organized a strike to obtain "bread and peace". A few days later the tsar abdicated and the date remained in the history books to indicate the beginning of the February Revolution. In 1921 the Second International Conference of Communist Women set March 8 as "International Workers' Day" and hence the decision to extend the celebration to all women.
According to other theories, the institution of the Day was decided to commemorate the tragic fire of the Triangle factory in New York, where on March 25, 1911, more than 140 workers lost their lives.
In any case, after these first years, Women's Day was set for March 8 and rapidly assumed global dimensions.
March 8 in Italy: why mimosa
In Italy, the first International Women's Day was celebrated on March 12, 1922, but we have to wait until 1946 for the appearance of its symbol: the mimosa.
Italy was preparing to celebrate the first 8 March of the Second World War and for the organization of the event the Unione Donne Italiane had come forward, a women's association founded in 1944 and still engaged in activities for the defense and promotion of women's rights .
UDI, in particular, was looking for a flower that could mark the day. The idea of mimosa was proposed by Teresa Noce, Rita Montagnana and Teresa Mattei.
The flower had all the ideal characteristics to become the symbol of Women's Day: its flowering takes place in the first days of March and its costs have always been quite low. A "poetic image, perfect to accompany with beautiful phrases of good wishes for Women's Day.
In addition to expressing vitality, strength and joy, yellow is the color that represents the passage from death to life and becomes a metaphor to remember women who fought for sexual equality.
© istock.
Women's day around the world
International Women's Day is a national holiday in many countries: Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cuba, Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Russia, Tajikistan , Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zambia; while in China, Madagascar and Nepal the holiday is reserved only for women.
The most common custom is to pay tribute to women with flowers or small gifts. In some countries, International Women's Day also represents Mother's Day.
Although many milestones have been achieved, huge sexual disparities still exist in the world: wage differences, difficulties in accessing political and economic life, low levels of education, scarcity of health care and widespread violence.
Thus, March 8 becomes an opportunity to celebrate the battles won and remember those still to be fought. Does anything come to mind?
What has become Women's Day today?
What has come down to us on Women's Day is nothing more than a commercial gimmick to organize events, shows and so on. Unfortunately, many times the real essence of things is lost, bringing everything to pure materialization. Every year now, on the occasion of March 8, charity and awareness events multiply, simultaneously and, let us say, in contrast, with shows in which women applaud in front of ballets staged by men. Are we sure that we want to make the famous sense of emancipation we seek so much through all of this? The gender equality to which we aspire is far from it, it being understood that everyone is free to do what they want.
