March 8 is International Women's Day. It turns out the Socialist Party of America was the first to celebrate a national Women's Day in February of 1909. The next year saw an International Women's Conference held in Copenhagen, Denmark. Women from a number of countries around the world agreed that this would be a way to promote the rights of women including suffrage, the right to vote.
On March 19, 1911 the first International Women's Day was observed around the world with a vast number of demonstrations in a variety of countries. By 1913 Russian's were a part of the International Women's Day movement and surprisingly in 1917 Russian women held demonstrations in St. Petersburg protesting a shortage of bread, which began the February Revolution.
This revolution began on March 8 of the Gregorian calendar, International Women's Day. It was localized and lasted for a little over one week. People were spurred by the women's demonstrations to begin rioting in the streets eventually causing the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II. A provisional government was set up in its place and the October Revolution, which brought Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks to power was made possible.
Interestingly Lenin made International Women's Day an official holiday though it continued to be a working day until 1965. In 1922 communist China began celebrating the day and in 1936 Spanish communists in South America also embraced the day.
What is interesting is that the "First World Countries" didn't really embrace the celebration of International Women's Day until the 1970s when it became popular after the United Nations proclaimed it as a UN Day for women's rights in 1977. Until then it wasn't widely celebrated or really recognized in these countries.
I find it interesting how communist countries were, in certain ways, almost more progressive. They did not always succeed in becoming more progressive, but they attempted to implement legislation to create equality even if it wasn't fully adhered to well before "First World Countries." They also established propaganda films showing the Soviet people as being tolerant and accepting of everyone. Therefore, I'm not saying that being a woman in the Soviet Union would have been easier than elsewhere; but, they were considered more as equals during this time period.
For instance in World War II while women were in the fight for other countries they were not necessarily on the front lines. The Soviets, however, had female pilots who actually flew in combat missions and a large contingency of women were used as snipers. A fairly large number of women who fought in "The Great Patriotic War," as World War II is called in Russia, would come to be awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union, the highest award the country can give.
This attempt to create equality came in the form of propaganda films and encouraging the Soviet people to disregard race as well. "Circus" which was made in 1936 depicts a white woman running from a lynch mob for having a child with an African American man. Forced to flee America the woman was welcomed into the Soviet Union where she hid her child. She denies advances by a German suitor in favour of an open-minded Soviet. Upset the German reveals the child is hers thinking the crowd at the circus she is performing at will turn on her. Instead of this the crowd breaks out into song as they pass the child around proclaiming everyone is welcome.
Though it was propaganda which taught Soviets that both Germans and Americans were close minded the film did promote tolerance amongst Soviet citizens at a time when Hollywood movies depicting African American's were extremely racialized. Hollywood films at this time would by no means be celebrating the child as they did in the Soviet Union's production "Circus."
Overall women's rights have come a long way. There are an unlimited number of professions women are now welcome to enter into. I was unable to find a study from last year as to the earning of women to men; but, did find one from 2010 in Time magazine where it states that U.S. women earn 77 cents to every dollar a man does, though they did acknowledge this data may be skewed and could be much closer.
This year the UN has developed "A promise is a promise: time for action to end violence against women" as the theme for the day and "The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum" as the year's theme. Though advancements have been made on many equality issues there is still a ways to go for women, people of different races, and the LGBT community to actually become equal.
Everyone has their own beliefs and their own feelings, but it is important in our society today to not infringe upon the rights of anyone. This is why we cry out when human injustices have been discovered around the world. We cannot expect everyone to change their thoughts or beliefs, but we can do what we can to create equality within our own worlds simply by appreciating people for who they are and not focusing on stereotypes.
