I wrote a post a while back, one of those I don't post since they end up too much of a diary entry than a science "related" post, that I named "rather a silly sleepless slut than stupid". I tried to ramble about scientists and the connection to the brain and mind, and that everything we are is linked to the intelligence and creativity of the ideas thought up.
...then of course, it could be something about being form where I am where swearwords and cursings are more to do with being "an idiot" and other "non-sexual connotations" and you don't care what your mother is doing and with whom. I tried to make a coherent post about this being linked to several things about women and their rights, not to mention older views of relationship and commitment. Back in the viking era, the wife of the Lord was in charge of the farm and the serfs and all, when the man was gone raiding.... and then there was this idea of handfasting, where two people could live together - as married and share a bed - for a year before deciding if they were going to go on (disclaimer; if there was a child made in all of that, they had no choice, since marriage was to protect the children and ensure them of a father etc).
And this is not even mentioning the tradition of having women making their last name as "daughterofX" and therefore making it more important of the old family, than adapting the name of the husband. Something that was also common in the aristocracy up until the 19th century- you know, after the Age of Enlightenment - when things started to change.
Anyway, why I thought of all this, yesterday was brought on by a discussion about cleaning the house, vacuumers and the traditional role of a woman. Yes, I might have failed in the cleaning department of where I live. Apparently something that was told to me earlier in my life did stick to my brain; "you do not need to be perfect and have perfect home and a perfect career". Still, the cleaning is going to have to be solved. However, in the course of the discussion I was brought to the attention that the International Women's day is not a common knowledge here in the US. Funny enough, I probably should have realised that, considering the socialist history of the day and the not so socialist history of the US. I did not.
So, I am embarking to work today, having an feeling that there will be no women in red socks, no flowers, and probably no men who are preparing to cook for their wives or celebrating them and the progress made in the world....
It might be interesting?!
7 comments:
I probably should have added that I don't think and I am not used to the "celebration" as much as a rememberance on how far (or not far) women have come the last couple of decades.... and what it left to be done in order to be viewed as god or bad as "other" people.
I'm not talking about flowers and stuff like that. I'm talking about the first woman in parliament, the frist doctors in medschool, rights to vote, right to divorce etc.
And the right to manage my own money of course!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/08/international-womens-day-manifesto
class issues, sexuality and rights...
Oh I'm not sure if its a purely US thing. Canada doesn't make that big a deal of International Woman's Day either.
And here I thought that March 8th was a Soviet thing! Of course, I have only seen it as a flowers/husband cooks dinner thing.
I would have to agree with you since this is the first I have ever heard of International Women's Day.
With a bit of delay, happy International Women's day to you!
And while I know it's a big thing in Sweden, Ireland doesn't care either, so it's not just US/Canada thing.
...And for me it is definitely a nostalgic memory of flower ocean, men cooking at work, men cleaning and cooking at home, nice meal, expensive presents, a lot of celebration. Yes, I do not care about women equality, I care about a real holiday and celebration! I do not see anything like this in USA even on turkey day and xmas.
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