Thank Trade Unionists and Socialists for International Women’s Day

Today is International Women’s Day.  Rooted in the international push for women’s suffrage and in the labor/socialist movements, the first celebration was held in 1911 on March 19, a date selected to commemorate the 1848 uprisings when the King of Prussia was compelled to acknowledge the power of the people. 

The occasion and date were suggested by Clara Zetkin of the German Social Democratic Party at the second International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen in 1910.  Delegates from 17 countries representing trade unions, socialist parties, and working women’s clubs unanimously approved the call.  News of the event, spread by the socialist press and word of mouth helped make the first observance successful in much of Europe with packed meetings, parades, and at least one tense standoff with police.

                                        Just before World War I German Socialists celebrated International Women's Day in 1914.

In 1913, International Women’s Day was moved to its present date of March 8.  Despite the eruption of the First World War, which damaged many international relationships, Women’s Day grew year by year. 

In the wake of the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, American unions, the Socialist Party, and later the Communist Party spread the celebration through the next two decades, but because of its radical association, the Suffrage movement and middle class women’s organizations shunned it. 

The Feminist movement of the 1970's revived American interest in International Women's Day although its socialist and labor roots were often obscured.

It faded in this country until it was taken up by a new generation of feminists in ‘60’s, largely shorn of its original working class basis. 

In 1975 the United Nations officially began promoting and sponsoring International Women’s Day.  Each year the U.N. designates a theme for the celebration, although individual countries and groups are allowed, even encouraged, to develop their own themes based on their own experiences and challenges. 

The theme for 2022 is “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”, and call for climate action for women, by women.  From the UN Women web page” 

With the latest data, we now understand the vital link between gender, social equity and climate change, and recognize that without gender equality today, a sustainable future, an equal future, remains out of reach.

Women and girls experience the greatest impacts of the climate crisis as it amplifies existing gender inequalities and puts women’s lives and livelihoods at risk. Across the world, women depend more on, yet have less access to, natural resources, and often bear a disproportionate responsibility for securing food, water, and fuel.

As women and girls bear the burden of climate impacts, they are also essential to leading and driving change in climate adaption, mitigation and solutions.  Without the inclusion of half of the world’s population, it is unlikely that solutions for a sustainable planet and a gender equal world tomorrow will be realized. 

However, the official International Women’s Day web site, while recognizing he United Nations designation, is promoting an alternative theme—#Break the Bias:

Imagine a gender equal world.

 

A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination.

 

A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive.

 

A world where difference is valued and celebrated.

 

Together we can forge women's equality.

 

Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias.

 

Individually, we're all responsible for our own thoughts and actions—all day, every day.

 

We can break the bias in our communities.

 

We can break the bias in our workplaces.

 

We can break the bias in our schools, colleges and universities.

 

Together, we can all break the bias—on International Women’s Day (IWD) and beyond.

The encourage women, men, and genderfluid individuals to participate in the movement by using the x-crossed arms pose and “share your #BreakTheBias image, video, resources, presentation or articles on social media using #IWD2022 #BreakTheBias to encourage further people to commit to helping forge an inclusive world.”

The Old Man is in!

Today, International Women’s Day is observed as a national holiday in many nations, although disguised as a version of Mothers’ Day in some conservative societies.  Among the hold outs in designating an official status are many Islamic nations like Iran where attempts to mark the Day with public demonstrations have been met by police attacks and the jailing of many leading women militants. 

And, of course, in the United States a deep fear and resentment by conservatives of any International celebration, particularly one with Socialist roots and promoted by the United Nations, prevents any official participation, even when it was—or especially because it was—smiled upon and acknowledged by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. 

Women of the Ukraine show  the world strength. 

This year the leading role of women in ecological movements, demands for action on climate change, and climate justice are widely acknowledged.  And the perfidious invasion of Ukraine ordered by Vladimir Putin has highlighted the amazing strength of women in the defense of their homes, families, nations, and equality.

 

The Labor and Socialist Roots of International Women’s Day Run Deep

Today is International Women’s Day.  Rooted in the international push for women’s suffrage and in the labor/socialist movements, the first celebration was held in 1911 on March 19, a date selected to commemorate the 1848 uprisings when the King of Prussia was compelled to acknowledge the power of the people. 

The occasion and date were suggested by Clara Zetkin of the German Social Democratic Party at the second International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen in 1910.  Delegates from 17 countries representing trade unions, socialist parties, and working women’s clubs unanimously approved the call.  News of the event, spread by the socialist press and word of mouth helped make the first observance successful in much of Europe with packed meetings, parades, and at least one tense standoff with police.

Just before World War I German Socialists celebrated International Women's Day in 1914.

In 1913, International Women’s Day was moved to its present date of March 8.  Despite the eruption of the First World War, which damaged many international relationships, Women’s Day grew year by year. 

In the wake of the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, American unions, the Socialist Party, and later the Communist Party spread the celebration through the next two decades, but because of its radical association, the Suffrage movement and middle class women’s organizations shunned it. 

Union members, Socialist, Communists and female labor organizations led early American observances while middle class suffrage movements shied away.

It faded in this country until it was taken up by a new generation of feminists in ‘60’s, largely shorn of its original working class basis. 

In 1975 the United Nations officially began promoting and sponsoring International Women’s Day.  Each year the U.N. designates a theme for the celebration, although individual countries and groups are allowed, even encouraged, to develop their own themes based on their own experiences and challenges. 

The theme for 2021 is #ChooseToChallenge.  The International Women’s Day web site describes the theme this way:

A challenged world is an alert world. Individually, we’re all responsible for our own thoughts and actions—all day, every day.

We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women's achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world.

From challenge comes change, so let's all choose to challenge.

Today, it is observed as a national holiday in many nations, although disguised as a version of Mothers’ Day in some conservative societies.  Among the hold outs in designating an official status are many Islamic nations like Iran where attempts to mark the Day with public demonstrations have been met by police attacks and the jailing of many leading women militants. 

Second wave American feminists resurrected interest in International Women's Day in the late '60's and celebrated when became a United Nations sponsored event in 1975.

And, of course, in the United States a deep fear and resentment by conservatives of any International celebration, particularly one with Socialist roots and promoted by the United Nations, prevents any official participation, even when it was—or especially because it was—smiled upon and acknowledged by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. 

This year President Joe Biden is set to mark International Women’s Day by signing two executive orders creating a Gender Policy Council and reviewing Trump-era changes to Title IX, the Federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in education. 

In the Year of Triumph and Reactionary Backlash International Women’s Day Calls for #BallenceforBetter

Today is International Women’s Day.  Rooted in the international push for women’s suffrage and in the labor/socialist movements, the first celebration was held in 1911 on March 19, a date selected to commemorate the 1848 uprisings when the King of Prussia was compelled to acknowledge the power of the people. 

The occasion and date were suggested by Clara Zetkin of the German Social Democratic Party at the second International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen in 1910.  Delegates from 17 countries representing trade unions, socialist parties, and working women’s clubs unanimously approved the call.  News of the event, spread by the socialist press and word of mouth helped make the first observance successful in much of Europe with packed meetings, parades, and at least one tense standoff with police. 

English Socialists celebrate an early International Women's Day.

In 1913, International Women’s Day was moved to its present date of March 8.  Despite the eruption of the First World War, which damaged many international relationships, Women’s Day grew year by year.  

American labor, especially the needle trades, and the Socialist Party brought International Women's Day to the U.S. after the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire in New York.

In the wake of the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, American unions, the Socialist Party, and later the Communist Party spread the celebration through the next two decades, but because of its radical association, the Suffrage movement and middle class women’s organizations shunned it. 

It faded in this country until it was taken up by new generation of feminists in ‘60’s, largely shorn of its original working class basis.  

Second wave American feminists resurected interest in International Women's Day in the late '60's and celebrated when became a United Nations sponsored event in 1975.

In 1975 the United Nations officially began promoting and sponsoring International Women’s Day.  Each year the U.N. designates a theme for the celebration, although individual countries and groups are allowed, even encouraged, to develop their own themes based on their own experiences and challenges. 

The theme for 2019 is Better for Balance. The IWD web site explains.

The future is exciting. Let’s build a gender-balanced world.

Everyone has a part to play—all the time, everywhere.

From grassroots activism to worldwide action, we are entering an exciting period of history where the world expects balance. We notice its absence and celebrate its presence.

Balance drives a better working world. Let’s all help create a #BalanceforBetter. The campaign theme provides a unified direction to guide and galvanize continuous collective action, with #BalanceforBetter activity reinforced and amplified all year…

Balance is not a women's issue, it’s a business issue. The race is on for the gender-balanced boardroom, a gender-balanced government, gender-balanced media coverage, a gender-balance of employees, more gender-balance in wealth, gender-balanced sports coverage ...

Gender balance is essential for economies and communities to thrive.  Collective action and shared responsibility for driving a gender-balanced world is key. International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women—while also marking a call to action for accelerating gender balance.

Today, Women’s Day is a national holiday in many nations, although disguised as a version of Mothers’ Day in some conservative societies.  Among the hold outs in designating an official status are many Islamic nations like Iran where attempts to mark the Day with public demonstrations in 2005 were met by police attacks and the jailing of many leading women militants.  

I prefer this image of strong women taking action to the official theme representations which show women and some men holding their hands spread wide and palms up, sueposedly to represent ballance--a reasonable and unthreatening concept.  But it is a passive pose and actually can resemble a resigned shrug.  Sponsors urge people to take photos of themelves in the pose and post them on social media  in solidarity.  But most of the images on the IWD web site feature attractive, upwardly moble young people with hardly a Third World, working class, or older person represented.

And, of course, in the United States a deep fear and resentment by conservatives of any International celebration, particularly one with Socialist roots and promoted by the United Nations, prevents any official participation. Do not hold your breath for an official White House proclamation.  At best there may be an incoherent but hostile 3 am toilet Tweet.

Luckily, that will not prevent activities around the country as the women’s movement broadens and embraces the radical roots of international feminism.

In the Year of #ShePersisted and #MeToo International Women’s Day is # PressforProgress

Today is International Women’s Day.  Rooted in the international push for women’s suffrage and in the labor/socialist movements, the first celebration was held in 1911 on March 19, a date selected to commemorate the 1848 uprisings when the King of Prussia was compelled to acknowledge the power of the people. 

The occasion and date were suggested by Clara Zetkin of the German Social Democratic Party at the second International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen in 1910.  Delegates from 17 countries representing trade unions, socialist parties, and working women’s clubs unanimously approved the call.  News of the event, spread by the socialist press and word of mouth helped make the first observance successful in much of Europe with packed meetings, parades, and at least one tense standoff with police. 

Socialist and working class women were at the heart of early celebrations of International Women's Day.

In 1913, International Women’s Day was moved to its present date of March 8.  Despite the eruption of the First World War, which damaged many international relationships, Women’s Day grew year by year. 

In the wake of the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, American unions, the Socialist Party, and later the Communist Party spread the celebration through the next two decades, but because of its radical association, the Suffrage movement and middle class women’s organizations shunned it.

Union members and female labor organiations were also key components while middle class suffrage movements were more cautiously involved.

It faded in this country until it was taken up by new generation of feminists in ‘60’s, largely shorn of its original working class basis. 

In 1975 the United Nations officially began promoting and sponsoring International Women’s Day.  Each year the U.N. designates a theme for the celebration, although individual countries and groups are allowed, even encouraged, to develop their own themes based on their own experiences and challenges.  

Muslim women display International Women's Day #PressforProgress placards.  Many Islamic counties alow only limited public observances while they are banned entirely in both Suni and Sh'ia conservative religious states and have been violently attacked in Iran.  In Turkey where Western oriented women previously enjoyed greater freedom and opportunity than in many Islamic nations, the increasingly oppresive right wing government has clamped down hard, particularly after women took a visible and public leading role in anti-government strikes and street demonstrations a few years ago.  In Isreal Women's Day is often marked by public solidarity between Jewish and Palestinian women and events have been harrased by ultra-Zionists, Jewish settler movements, and right wing political parties.

The theme for 2018 #PressFor Progress.  The International Women’s Day web site describes the theme this way:

With the World Economic Forum's 2017 Global Gender Gap Report findings telling us that gender parity is over 200 years away—there  has never been a more important time to keep motivated and #PressforProgress. And with global activism for women’s equality fuelled by movements like #MeToo, #TimesUp and more—there is a strong global momentum striving for gender parity.

And while we know that gender parity won’t happen overnight, the good news is that across the world women are making positive gains day by day. Plus, there’s indeed a very strong and growing global movement of advocacy, activism and support.

So we can’t be complacent. Now, more than ever, there's a strong call-to-action to press forward and progress gender parity. A strong call to #PressforProgress. A strong call to motivate and unite friends, colleagues and whole communities to think, act and be gender inclusive.

International Women;s Day is not country, group or organisation specific. The day belongs to all groups collectively everywhere. So together, let's all be tenacious in accelerating gender parity. Collectively, let’s all Press for Progress.

 

African women display the palms forward push gesture that is the semi-official salute of #PressFor Progress

Today, it is observed as a national holiday in many nations, although disguised as a version of Mothers’ Day in some conservative societies.  Among the hold outs in designating an official status are many Islamic nations like Iran where attempts to mark the Day with public demonstrations in 2005 were met by police attacks and the jailing of many leading women militants. 

And, of course, in the United States a deep fear and resentment by conservatives of any International celebration, particularly one with Socialist roots and promoted by the United Nations, prevents any official participation, even when it was—or especially because it was—smiled upon and acknowledged by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.  Do not hold your breath for an official White House proclamation.  At best there may be an incoherent but hostile 3 am toilet Tweet.

In 2017 massive marches in cities across the U.S. on March 8 were accompanied by calls for a general strike by women.  Athough the actions fell short of those goals,  The movement was a radical extention of the Women's March on Washington and sister marches in January.  It was very inclusive of women of color, immigrants, refugees, LBGTQ communities and purposefully reconnected to International Women's Days working class and Socialist roots.

Luckily, that will not prevent activities around the country as the women’s movement broadens and embraces the radical roots of international feminism.