It is getting more and more difficult to congratulate a Ukrainian woman on March 8. If even 10 years ago postcards in the form of eights seemed cute, and congratulations on the “holiday of spring and beauty” were the norm, now everything has changed. And this trend is very positive. After all, March 8 is the International Day for Women's Rights. But all that “vanilla” about spring, and subsequently other labels, are attempts by the USSR to use a woman for their own purposes.
However, we are not in a hurry to cancel International Women's Day – this is not a Soviet holiday. Soviet only approach to its understanding. 24 The channel figured out why Ukrainians are so confused since March 8, should it be a day off, how to celebrate it correctly and how to congratulate women on this day.
March 8 or February 25: ups and downs with the celebration and the day off
In Ukraine, discussions about the advisability of celebrating March 8 have been ongoing since 2017. More discussions so far as to whether to keep this day as a public holiday.
This year, disputes reached the Verkhovna Rada – some deputies registered a bill, according to which they propose to replace International Women's Day with Ukrainian Women's Day and celebrate it on February 25 – the birthday of the poetess Lesya Ukrainka.
However, even here it is not clear. First of all, because March 8 is celebrated all over the world, it is International Women's Day. Why cancel it then? And celebrating Ukrainian Women's Day the day after the anniversary of a full-scale invasion seems not a very appropriate decision.
Meanwhile, in the Diya app, a vote was held regarding the status of March 8 – the majority of respondents supported the proposal to leave the holiday as a day off.
Voting results for March 8 in Diya / Collage 24 Channel
People's deputies have registered in the Rada a bill that proposes to rename the March 8 holiday as the International Day for the Protection of Women's Rights and, according to the results of the survey, leave it as a day off.
By the way, this day remains a day off in more than 20 countries – most of the countries of the former USSR, except for Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, in several African countries, as well as in Georgia, Vietnam, etc. In China, this day is a working day, but shortened for women. Also this day is non-working or shortened in Berlin.
Note! Whether or not there will be International Women's Day in Ukraine is not really that important. Instead, something else is important – what meanings this day will be filled with. Since the beginning of the Russian war against Ukraine, thousands of women have joined the ranks of the Defense Forces, many are volunteering. At the same time, thousands of women in Ukraine still suffer from domestic violence and prejudice at work. The meaning and understanding of Women's Rights Day must be rethought, but it is clearly needed.
International Women's Day – what we celebrate and how it all began
International Women's Day was born thanks to suffragettes who demanded equality between women and men in the economic, political and educational spheres.
There are several versions of how the holiday appeared. In particular, you can often hear about the “Empty Pot March” – a strike of textile workers who demanded equal pay with men. It took place in New York in 1857. However, there is no data to support this.
At the same time, 51 years later, a march took place, the mention of which has already been confirmed. On March 8, 1908, thousands of women in New York demanded the right to vote, protested against the harsh working conditions and labor of children.
Women's march in New York, 1908 / Photo by Wikimedia
And already in 1910, the Second International Conference of Women Socialists was held in Denmark. Participants from 17 countries decided to celebrate International Women's Day in March.
However, it was not about a holiday as such, but rather about the opportunity to annually draw attention to the importance of women's struggle for equal rights: the right to vote in elections, equal access to education, wages.
Why March 8 is not a Soviet holiday and what is the role of Clara Zetkin in it
It was Clara Zetkin who came up with the idea to organize a “special women's day” every year to promote the idea of equality.
Interestingly, Rosa Luxembourg, who became Clara's comrade-in-arms, was at first indifferent to the women's movement. And they both disliked suffragettes, they say, the movement is “bourgeois”.
Copenhagen, 1910, in the center of Alexander Kollontai and Clara Zetkin, followed by Rosa Luxembourg / Photo by Wikimedia
Important! March 8 is about human rights, not about spring, beauty and femininity. The Soviet Union made it that way: gradually, instead of gratitude for participating in the revolution, women began to be thanked for beauty and inspiration. From a political holiday it became a family holiday.
However, in the West, the meaning of this day has been preserved: in 1975, the UN General Assembly approved a resolution according to which each of the participating countries was invited to celebrate International Women's Rights Day. It was this day that got into the calendar of independent Ukraine. But first, a little history.
Why March 8 is not a Soviet holiday
Since at the beginning of the 20th century women's protest movements took place all over the world, especially in countries where the industry was developed, the Russian Empire also felt it. The woman was no longer the “keeper” of home comfort, she had to combine motherhood with 16 hour shifts at work. When textile workers began mass protests demanding “bread and peace” – an end to World War I and food supplies, Russian women began to speak out about their rights. The strike on February 23, 1917, or March 8 in the Gregorian calendar, eventually sparked the revolution and contributed to the fall of the monarchy.
In the Soviet Union, International Women's Day became an official holiday in 1921.
How the USSR disfigured International Women's Day and made it a propaganda tool
or … what does the “Mother Heroine” have to do with it
In the USSR, March 8 was considered a holiday, but for a long time there was no day off. The revolutionary activist Alexandra Kolontai convinced Lenin to make him like that. And in 1965, two days off were introduced – International Women's Day and Victory Day.
However, one must understand that the USSR often used feminism as a means of propaganda. Stalin saw in the collective farm system a break with the past village, which had a patriarchal way of life. This is how the image of a collective farmer appeared, working not for her father or husband, but for a collective farm, community, state. The struggle for the rights of a woman and understanding her needs – this was not discussed here!
At the same time, the Soviet totalitarian regime actively used sexism to promote its own ideology. In particular, the theme of motherhood was part of the Bolshevik propaganda narratives. By the way, the same applied to Germany, the Nazi regime also happily used such ideas. Totalitarian states were preparing for wars, and therefore needed a human resource.
In the USSR, there was a cult of the mother – the propaganda machine actively spread the idea of a woman's obligation to give birth. It was then that awards for a certain number of children appeared: the Medal of Motherhood in two levels, the Order of Maternal Glory in three levels and the highest distinction – “Mother Heroine”, which was awarded to a woman for the birth of 10 children.
So the International Women's Day in the countries of the USSR underwent a transformation from the “day of working women” to the “spring holiday”, “the holiday of mothers, grandmothers”, then to the “holiday of the beautiful half of humanity”. Even later, narratives began to appear about women as the weaker sex and decoration of the team.
Soviet postcards-congratulations on March 8 / Pictures from Istoricheskoy Pravda
In fact, the USSR turned the main feminist holiday into a “triumph of sexism.” That is, the day acquired a completely opposite content. And in fact , this understanding on March 8 was inherited by the already independent Ukraine.
However, in the last 10 years there has been a rethinking of the essence of International Women's Day and the return of its political significance as a day of women's rights.
“Be quiet woman, your day is March 8”
Every year, feminists organize public actions and marches, remind about the importance of respecting equal rights and draw attention to the issues of violence against women.
By the way, this is why Mother's Day cannot replace International Women's Day: not all women should/want/can/plan to be mothers. However, everyone has rights and needs.
How was the women's march in Kyiv in 2021 / Photo by The Village
Important. Feminism is not against men. He is against patriarchy in all areas of life: from family, work to politics. Does feminism restrict men in their rights? If this is the right to violence, in any of its manifestations – the “pink tax”, dependence on the man's finances during the decree, then yes. If it is the right to make a decision for a woman – yes, of course. Or if we are talking about inappropriate jokes that violate the personal boundaries of a woman, then yes too. So immediately advice – never joke: “Be quiet woman, your day is March 8.” Such jokes are sexist, irrelevant and completely inappropriate.
However, in Ukraine, fortunately, such caustic comments and jokes are heard less and less. In recent years, the Ukrainian woman has received many new rights and opportunities for self-expression. Ukrainian legislation is also increasingly protecting the rights of women. Of course, we still have work to do, but the shifts are obvious.
In June 2022, Ukraine ratified the Istanbul Convention on the Prevention of Violence against Women and Domestic Violence.
By the way, the world also celebrates International Men's Day – November 19th. It is not recognized by the UN, is not a holiday, but is very popular in some countries, in particular in the UK. This day is dedicated to “the positive value that men bring to the world, to their families and communities”. It is not against masculinity, but rather aims to highlight positive patterns to follow.
Congratulate a girl on March 8 if she is a feminist
Yes, sure! Congratulate her on International Women's Rights Day. Wish to achieve your goals, and not be beautiful. Wish confidence and purposefulness in her endeavors.
Here you need to understand that feminists do not take offense at the holiday. They are offended when they are congratulated for being women and wanting tenderness.
Get rid of congratulations like “happy spring and femininity”, instead wish for equal opportunities.
A girl on the women's march in Kyiv in 2021 / Photo by The Village
Cult: whether to give women flowers on March 8
You need to understand that this “romanticization” of the holiday with cards, flowers, sweets and gifts changes the essence of International Women's Day. We remind you that it is primarily political in nature, and not “domestic”.
A lone tulip in cellophane and a pack of sweets cannot replace real daily care for a woman, daily respect and understanding of her needs.
Moreover, discounts on underwear, dishes, other goods and services, accompanied by the use of already characteristic epithets like “gentle, charming, beautiful and loving women” – all this is contrary to the ideology of this day.
So, how to congratulate a woman so that it is appropriate? In fact, you can give her flowers if you want and you know for sure that she likes it. However, that it should not be a “one-time promotion” per year. And, to be honest, it’s better to give them on any other day, or at least every day, sorry, but let the speculation about March 8 and flowers be in the past.
A good option is to go on a march for women's rights together. However, this year they were canceled due to martial law.
As for the greetings of colleagues, the best gift for women will be the provision of equal career opportunities for all employees and workers, a corporate policy to counter sexism and pretensions. More valuable than a bouquet from a colleague will be a remark from him to another employee about the inappropriateness of his sexist joke.
So, the main thing to remember when congratulating a woman on International Women's Day is understanding the essence of the holiday and respect for her rights. As long as Ukrainians live according to the traditions of Soviet holidays, we will not become a progressive society.
