The meaning of the holiday March 8. International Women's Day - history and traditions of the holiday. Women from Venus
DAY AFTER TOMORROW Not only Russia, but the whole world will celebrate International Women's Day. Celebration of March 8th in modern Russia is associated primarily with an extra day off and obligatory flowers and gifts for women, while the original political and social meanings of the date remain almost unnoticed. However, it was not always like this. Let's figure out how International Women's Day came about, why today March 8 is perceived differently than a hundred years ago, and how you can celebrate it.
Daria Tatarkova
Has March 8 always happened?
"women's holiday"?
Yes and no. The two main gender-specific holidays were inherited from Soviet times in modern Russia. February 23 and March 8 were not as clear-cut at the time of their occurrence. It was invented to celebrate the 23rd in 1922 as the Day of the Red Army and Navy; over time, the name was changed twice, and those celebrating quite deviated from the essence. Instead of honoring military personnel, February 23rd gradually became a day celebrating all men and the idea of masculinity. March 8 has a similar fate. Invented as a symbol of the struggle for gender equality and respect for women’s work, the holiday became just an excuse to give a woman a gift one more time a year, except for her birthday. In modern folklore the essence of the International women's day was fully expressed by the phrase “be silent, woman, your day is March 8” (3 million results in the Yandex search), and the most popular joke on VKontakte about the holiday remains, for example, this video.
How it appeared
International Women's Day?
The date was invented by the socialist movement. In February 1909, women in New York took to the streets to demand equal pay and women's right to vote - amazingly, a century later, the issue of wages remains open. German socialists and the notorious communist Clara Zetkin, together with Rosa Luxemburg, agreed at the Women's Conference next year that a holiday was needed that would promote equal rights for women, including suffragist ideas.
The celebration reached Russia in 1913. Women's Day was not at all as peaceful as it is now, but was accompanied by rallies and demonstrations. Thus, on February 23, 1917, according to the old style (that is, March 8, according to the new style), a strike of textile workers and a subsequent organized march demanding equal rights for women became one of the triggers for a further wave of protests that led to the February Revolution. Coinciding in date with one of the most important turning points in the history of Russia, the holiday as a tradition became stronger in the USSR. Until about the 70s, March 8 was primarily associated with the participants of the revolution and their successful struggle for women's independence. One way or another, the history of the holiday in the West and in Russia shows that, first of all, it was invented as a tool for emancipation and popularization of respect for women.
Why is it customary to give gifts on this day in Russia?
and not strike for equal pay?
History is silent about when and why processions and demonstrations were replaced by the current candy and bouquet tradition of celebrating March 8th. Some authors believe that the reason for this was the conscious and consistent policy of the Soviet leadership. Already in the 30s, the much-needed women's departments involved in agitation, education, assistance and the fight for women's rights were abolished. Thus, women lost the social elevator, and did not reach new heights in equality. Subsequent women's organizations were largely nominal in nature. Gradually, revolutionary themes disappeared even from postcards, and the emphasis shifted to chanting female beauty and motherhood, making the holiday more like Mother's Day in other countries.
In 1966, under Brezhnev, March 8 became a day off, so the active idea of the date finally died out. Today, the holiday has finally turned into a day of following stereotypes about women. This is noticeable both in traditional gifts and in the description of International Women’s Day on the Russian-language Internet. According to Levada Center, the most popular in Russia
Gifts for March 8th include flowers and sweets, as well as perfumes and cosmetics. According to VTsIOM, only 5% associate the holiday with emancipation. On the one hand, this survey shows a positive trend in relation to equality - the number of people who believe that women deserve the same privileges as men has increased by 1.5 times. On the other hand, every fifth respondent still considers men much more capable than women. The gender of the survey participants was not indicated.
Where else is March 8 celebrated?
International Women's Day is recognized as an official holiday not only in Russia, North Korea and China, but also, for example, in Burkina Faso. In the rest of the world, March 8 is not considered a public holiday, but every year it is gaining more and more popularity, while maintaining a feminist slant. The main popularizer of the date today is the UN. In 1977, the United Nations invited member countries to choose any day to celebrate the ideas of women's equality and world peace, which became March 8.
Countries that support the UN primarily use the holiday as an occasion to raise social issues important to women. From year to year, the UN chooses a priority topic on which efforts will be directed. In 2013 it was opposition to violence against women, last year it was “Equality for women - progress for all.” In 2015 - “Inspiring Women - Inspiring Humanity.” The symbol of the holiday is a purple ribbon.
As noted
March 8th this year?
The topic of this year goes by with the hashtag #MakeItHappen. In Afghanistan, men donned burkas and protested to support women's rights. In India, March 8 this year has become a date against which women continue to demand justice for victims of violence who are not protected by either the law or society. Many publications focus on remembering the origins of the date and suggest commemorating it not with flowers, but with a call to action and drawing attention to, for example, key health issues and courageous feminists in world history. Forbes explains the real pay gap between men and women and gives advice on how each can improve the situation. Among other things
The #UpForSchool petition will launch on March 8th, aiming to pressure world leaders to educate 31 million boys and girls around the world.
Today, the Internet plays a key role in making International Women's Day part of the world's popular culture. Since 2000, the number of Google searches for the format “International Women's Day + current year” has increased from 49 million to 196 - that is, 4 times. Specifically in 2015, on the eve of the holiday, a hashtag appeared #DearMe, under which video bloggers send encouraging messages to their teenage selves from the past. This perhaps naive approach found a huge response from the audience, and girls from all over the world wrote grateful comments for moral support. The hashtag became number one on the service. Many YouTubers simply focus on gender role themed videos, like Kristen from Stuff Mom Never Told You. Be sure to check it out sketch about “gender rolls” - behind the funny play on words there is a clear and relevant message that it is time to stop imposing behavior patterns on us depending on our biological sex. The matter, of course, is not limited to social networks. Internet darling and UN Women's Rights Envoy Emma Watson, for example, will host a Q&A on International Women's Day and answer all viewers' questions about sexism and inequality. By the way, here it is great way celebrate.
Women, then, have
meaningful holiday,
But what about men?
What other days are they celebrated?
important events for women?
The UN actively promotes March 8th as a universal date, but there are several other major holidays. One of them is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. It is celebrated on November 25 to honor the memory of the Mirabal sisters who were killed in the Dominican Republic. Violence against women is still an incredibly common problem that is often not brought to justice. On this day, countries are encouraged to hold events that increase publicity about the problem and talk about ways to solve it.
October 15 marks the International Day of Rural Women, whose rights are sometimes given very little attention. In South Africa, they celebrate Women's Day on August 9, and at the state level. The date is intended to commemorate the struggle of local activists against the tyranny of the apartheid-era government. Thus, on August 9, 1956, they prevented the introduction of compulsory passporting for South African women.
During the hostilities of 1914, the European population forgot about this holiday. But, after the Bolsheviks came to power, spring Women's Day began to be celebrated again. For several years, in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan, girls did not receive any gifts on March 8, since the holiday was recognized as political; ceremonial rallies and meetings were held on this day. After Stalin left, the tradition of giving tulips arose, and already in 1965 the holiday became an official day off.
In which countries is March 8 a holiday? Eg, in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia A rather special approach has been formed to Women's Day.
The spring day became a legal day off. On International Women's Day, it is supposed to please lovely ladies, give them gifts and flowers. It is generally accepted that spring is a time for love, for starting a good life from scratch, for the appearance of flowers and greenery. And it is absolutely no coincidence that it is at this time that men shower women with congratulations, because they glow with a radiant smile.
Germany is another country where March 8 is celebrated, but in its own way. This day is not a weekend, as it is based on socialist history. And even before, when residents of East Germany congratulated the girls, in the western part of the country they had never even heard of such an event.
After the unification of the state took place, the spring day became somewhat widespread. But, be that as it may, a clear tradition of celebrating it never developed. Despite what is written in public information sources about women's holiday, the Germans present their congratulations and gifts to women on Mother's Day, which falls in May. On this day, lovely ladies forget about various household chores and worries.
As for France, it is not particularly customary to celebrate March 8th here. Information sources mention this event, but say that it is celebrated mainly by communists and those on the left. Local women will feel like real queens on Mother's Day, which is celebrated in early May. But a certain embarrassment arises, since this celebration in no way concerns young girls. Here they are usually congratulated on Valentine's Day.
Features of International Women's Day among Italians
Italy is on the list of countries where March 8 is still celebrated. Since 1946, mimosa has been a symbol of Women's Day in this country. From that moment on, the tradition of giving women this flower was born. It’s just worth noting that this holiday is not a day off here. Women's Day is celebrated in a rather special way. The most interesting thing is that women do not spend this celebration with their men, but gather in a cheerful group and go to a restaurant or cafe. IN evening time Throughout Rome there are various bars with a special program from strippers. Entry for women to such establishments is free. If we are talking about more expensive establishments, such as restaurants, then entry for Italian men is prohibited. In this country, they believe that on March 8, only female companies can come here, and men come at the end of the evening and pay the bill.
There are also women who want to celebrate the holiday with their significant other. In this case, a friendly team gathers at home at the ceremonial table. Italians love March 8th, and what’s nice is that they know how to celebrate it. The main attribute on the festive table is mimosa.
Women's Day in Bulgarian
Bulgaria can be classified as one of the countries where March 8 is celebrated. The only thing is that, like in many other countries, it takes place as usual. For local residents, this is a simple working day, so men have an excellent chance to give their nice words not only to beloved women, but also to work colleagues. Often on this day, at the end of working hours, offices are covered with festive tables, or all the employees go to the restaurant.
IN last years Among women living in Bulgaria, for various reasons, their attitude towards International Women's Day has cooled a little; some simply began to perceive this day as a symbol of socialist times. But, in spite of everything, it is a wonderful holiday when you have the opportunity to say to a loved one kind words, arrange a little fairy tale and give a good mood.
“Chestita Baba Marta! “- this is how Bulgarians congratulate each other according to national tradition - March 1, the first day of Spring. This National holiday All Bulgarians love it. The legend says: Khan Asparukh, on the day of celebrating the creation of the new state of Bulgaria, received news from his sister Kalina that her sister was alive and well. The sister also sent Khan a gift in the form of a bouquet of flowers tied with red and white threads. Khan was very happy with the gift and ordered that from then on this day, March 1, be celebrated with flowers tied with red and white threads.
China cannot be classified as a country where March 8 is celebrated. This day passes quite unnoticed for the local population. The only people who can receive official letters of congratulations on this day are elderly revolutionaries. In addition, in China it is not allowed to present cut flowers to anyone. Therefore, on the holiday, bouquets are bought exclusively by foreigners, mainly Russians.
Women's Day in Vietnam
Women first began to be congratulated here more than two thousand years ago. Then this holiday was dedicated to the eternal memory of the brave Trung sisters - activists of the liberation war against Chinese aggression. Today, March 8 is recognized as an official holiday, which is celebrated with great pleasure. Therefore, if you are asked where in the world March 8 is celebrated, you can safely answer that in Vietnam.
Lithuanian International Women's Day
After the split of the Soviet Union, Lithuania stopped officially celebrating International Women's Day, but Russian-speaking residents still preserved the traditions of the celebration. Only at the moment in Lithuania, women's holiday is perceived as the beginning of spring and is called the International Day of Women's Solidarity. The majority of the country's population associates March 8 with Soviet times. On this day, as in Poland, all flower stalls are open, and the level of sales of bouquets is higher than on Valentine's Day
Many people are interested in the question of which post-Soviet countries celebrate March 8th and how? And specifically in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazastan? These countries have developed the same special traditions associated with this holiday. On Women's Day, there is no division among the fair half of humanity. Absolutely everyone, even the smallest ones, receive congratulations. Of course, as in many other countries, traditional gift flowers appear. On March 8, women are released from all household obligations. Men do cooking, cleaning and other household chores.
All women in the world have a holiday
Unfortunately, today there are quite a few countries where March 8 is celebrated. Thus, the fact that the holiday is international is called into question. The only good thing is that every country has a women's holiday. It doesn’t matter at all what it’s called, the main thing remains that men do not forget about their wives, mothers, daughters, sisters. Women love attention, so don't forget about them!
Happy holiday, dear women!
Even a preschooler will tell you without hesitation that International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on March 8, but not every adult is familiar with unusual story this beloved holiday. How did the tradition of congratulating the fair half of humanity originate, and what exactly was the reason for the appearance of this wonderful spring holiday on the calendar?
Origin story
The historical roots of the fun-filled, flower-filled, gift-filled holiday have a feminist and political flavour. For the first time, the day of March 8 appears in the events of distant 1901. That day, American housewives filled the streets of Chicago with pots and basins turned upside down. So in an original way they wanted to attract the attention of society and authorities. Participants in the march demanded equal political rights, self-respect, the opportunity to work in production and serve in the army alongside men. Seven years later, feminists repeated their demands, but on a national scale. After which National Women's Day was proclaimed in the United States.
The founder of International Women's Day is considered to be Clara Zetkin, a German communist, a woman reformer who made a huge contribution to upholding women's rights. It was she, as the leader of the women's group of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, in the difficult year for the communists in 1910, at the International Women's Conference, who made a proposal to establish a Day of Solidarity for Working Women of the World.
Clara Zetkin believed that the annual holiday, celebrated on one day, would unite women from different countries in the fight for equal rights. The main purpose of the new holiday was the struggle for freedom and equality of female workers. This initiative received a response in the form of a wave of rallies that swept across Europe. The first women's holidays in various countries noted in different dates Martha. And only in 1914 did the working people of the world celebrate their holiday on March 8th.
In 1957, on March 8, workers in New York garment factories came out to fight for their rights. They actively demanded improved working conditions, a reduction in the inhumane 16-hour working day and an increase in wages that were meager compared to men. As a result of this event, a women's trade union emerged, which subsequently continued its activities.
The UN adopted the celebration of International Women's Day in 1975, and this year was also declared international year women, and the next ten years, from 1976 to 1985, were proclaimed the International Women's Decade. In 1977, a resolution was issued according to which Women's Rights Day was dedicated to March 8. It's spring now women's holiday celebrated in more than 30 countries around the world. In some states it is still a working day.
In Russia, Women's Day was first celebrated in pre-revolutionary St. Petersburg on March 2, 1913. On this day, a government-approved “scientific morning on women's issue", his agenda included issues of motherhood, inflation and women's suffrage. One and a half thousand people took part in the event.
In the revolutionary year of 1917, the current government did not give St. Petersburg women the opportunity to celebrate the international women's holiday. Attempts to join the women of other countries ended in clashes that turned into demonstrations and the February revolution. In 1921, at the meeting of the 2nd Communist Women's Conference, it was decided to coincide the celebration of March 8th with the memory of this demonstration, which involuntarily became a harbinger of the February revolution.
In the new Soviet state, Women's Day immediately received the status of a holiday, but continued to remain a working day. Working women of Soviet enterprises gradually received equal rights with men to the opportunity to work, to legal rest, to study, and to govern the state. Freed from oppression, Soviet women morally supported their friends from capitalist countries at rallies and meetings.
On the holiday, Soviet ladies were not given flowers or gifts, but they were previously released from work, awarded with certificates of honor, thanks and bonuses. There is evidence that in some stores workers were treated to pleasant discounts. True, the discounts were not on perfumes and cosmetics, but on galoshes - shoes that were popular in those days.
International Women's Day was declared an official holiday in the Soviet Union in May 1965. Since 1966, March 8 is a public holiday. Gradually, Women's Day lost its original political overtones and the fierce overtones of feminism. Appeared back in Soviet times good tradition give ladies flowers, sweets, cards and gifts.
In Russia, Women's Day is officially included in the list public holidays Russian Federation in 2002. In the new conditions, it gradually became a day of admiration for women, mothers, and wives. On March 8, men are especially gallant and courageous. They gladly take on women's responsibilities and free the fairer sex from housework and everyday chores.
Without which holiday is it difficult to imagine the beginning of spring? Of course, without March 8th. The history of the creation of the March 8 holiday has already been forgotten by many of us. Over time, it lost its social and political significance. Now this day simply symbolizes respect, love and tenderness, which, undoubtedly, all representatives of the fair sex on the planet deserve: mothers, grandmothers, daughters, wives and sisters.
The origin of the March 8 holiday is not known to everyone. Most of us only know about the official version. However, there is more than one story about the creation of the March 8 holiday. Moreover, each of them has the right to exist. Which of these versions to believe in, everyone decides for himself.
Official version
According to the official version of the USSR, the origin of the March 8 holiday is associated with a protest march organized by textile factory workers. Women came out to protest against harsh working conditions and low wages.
It is noteworthy that the newspapers of those years did not publish a single article about such strikes. Later, historians managed to find out that in 1857 March 8 fell on a Sunday. It may seem strange that women went on strike on a day off.
There is another story. On March 8, Clara Zetkin spoke at the women's forum in Copenhagen with a call to establish a German communist who implied that on March 8 women would be able to organize marches and rallies, thereby drawing public attention to their own problems. The date was framed as a strike by those same textile workers, which in reality never happened.
In the USSR, this holiday appeared thanks to Clara Zetkin’s friend, the fiery revolutionary Alexandra Kollontai. So in 1921, Women's Day became an official holiday in our country for the first time.
The Legend of the Queen of the Jews
Historians' opinions about the origins of Clara Zetkin are divided. No one can say for sure whether she was Jewish. Some sources say that Clara was born into a Jewish family. Others claim that her father was German.
Clara Zetkin's desire to connect the holiday with the date of March 8 ambiguously indicates that she still had Jewish roots, since March 8 marks the ancient Jewish holiday - Purim.
What other versions of the creation of the March 8 holiday are there? The history of the holiday may be connected with the history of the Jewish people. According to legend, Queen Esther, who was the beloved of King Xerxes, saved the Jews from extermination with the help of her spells. The Persian king intended to kill all the Jews, but the beautiful Esther was able to convince him not to kill the Jewish people, but, on the contrary, to exterminate all enemies, including the Persians.
Praising the queen, Jews began to celebrate the holiday of Purim. The date of the celebration was always different and fell at the end of February - beginning of March. However, in 1910 this day fell on March 8th.
Women of an ancient profession
According to the third version, the origin of the March 8 holiday is scandalous and unpleasant for women who look forward to this day.
According to some reports, in 1857, the women of New York did organize a protest, but they were not textile workers, but representatives the oldest profession who demanded payment wages sailors who used their services because the latter could not pay for them.
On March 8, 1894, women of easy virtue demonstrated again, but this time in Paris. They demanded recognition of their rights on an equal basis with other workers who sew clothes and bake bread, and also asked to organize trade unions for them. The following year, rallies were held in Chicago and New York.
It is noteworthy that Clara Zetkin herself participated in such actions. For example, in 1910, she and her friend took prostitutes onto the streets of Germany demanding to stop police brutality. In the Soviet version, public women had to be replaced with “workers”.
Why was it necessary to implement March 8?
The history of International Women's Day in Russia is political. March 8 is essentially an ordinary political campaign carried out by the Social Democrats. At the beginning of the 20th century, they actively protested to attract public attention. To do this, they took to the streets with posters promoting socialist calls. This was to the advantage of the leaders of the Social Democratic Party, since progressive women were in solidarity with the party.
This is probably why Stalin ordered the recognition of March 8 as Women's Day. Because it was impossible to connect the date with historical events, the story had to be slightly adjusted. If the leader said it, it had to be done.
Women from Venus
Traditions associated with the International are no less interesting than the origin of the March 8 holiday. For example, on this day it is customary to wear purple ribbons.
And this is not surprising, because this color represents Venus, which is considered the patroness of all women. That is why all famous ladies (politicians, teachers, medical workers, journalists, actresses and athletes) put on ribbons purple when they take part in March 8 events. As a rule, they take part in political rallies, women's conferences or theater performances, fairs and even fashion shows.
The meaning of the holiday
There is no city where March 8 is not celebrated. For many, the history of the holiday personifies the indomitable spirit of women fighting for equality and their own. For others, this holiday has long lost its political overtones and has become an excellent occasion to express love and respect for the fair sex.
On the day, words of congratulations on March 8th are heard everywhere. In any organization, company or educational institution they honor female employees and give them flowers and gifts. Along with this, official events are held in cities on March 8th. A festive concert is held annually in the Kremlin in Moscow.
How is March 8 celebrated in Russia?
On March 8th, all women forget about household chores. All housework (cleaning, cooking, washing) is put off. Often men take on all the worries so that once a year they feel the complexity of carrying out the everyday tasks that our women cope with. On this day, every representative of the fair sex should hear words of congratulations on March 8th.
This holiday never ceases to be the most long-awaited for all women. On March 8, it is customary to congratulate not only loved ones, but also colleagues, neighbors, store employees, doctors and teachers.
Do not skimp on kind words on this wonderful day. After all, without women, life on Earth would cease to exist!
