On March 8, 2015, the world celebrated International Women's Day. According to an article from the United Nations’ “it is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. International Women's Day first emerged from the activities of labour movements.” 2. (UN)
I learned that this day was inspired by female garment
workers who sparked a protest in New York city on March 08, 1908 with the aim of gender equality and
fair rights as it related to their working environment. In that year women were
not paid equally, worked longer and were not allowed to vote.
It was not in the place of the world to view us as equals although we existed and worked among men. So to combat this, women gathered in bands staging a series of protests, fighting for their ultimate desire of having a fair chance of working without gender prejudices; fought relentlessly to be given a fair share of payment as their male counterparts; fought without ceasing to work within safe and comfortable working conditions which did not require them bound to unfair labour laws.
It was not in the place of the world to view us as equals although we existed and worked among men. So to combat this, women gathered in bands staging a series of protests, fighting for their ultimate desire of having a fair chance of working without gender prejudices; fought relentlessly to be given a fair share of payment as their male counterparts; fought without ceasing to work within safe and comfortable working conditions which did not require them bound to unfair labour laws.
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| Photo: Ecolabs |
These women realized that within a changing world where
many women became the victims of “single motherhood” by whatever circumstance, they
had to assume the role of being their own provider. This could only mean
treading across their “conditioned role” of wives, mothers and home makers to join
the working force. If they were to survive, it was their only option.
The birth of Women’s Day moved from just being about feminine
rights to include the safety of our men and society at large. For example, the
women of Russia who first recognized Women’s’ Day in the 1913-1914, began a
protest in 1917 to end the violence of the war due to the rising death of our
men and women. It was a band to create peace and restore some normalcy in the
lives of their people.
That one, confident move from these women with a purpose
in 1908 struck a dam which overflowed right into the 20th century.
It’s a battle which is continuously being fought. It moved from being just for
good working conditions to granting women their freedom to live without
harassment and treated poorly solely on the basis of their gender. For example,
did you know, according to Mail Online published March 11, 2015, the Iranian
government has drafted a legislation preventing women who either choose not to
reproduce or who are biologically incapable of reproducing, from being
employed? There is also a draft to the legislation preventing contraception.
This is a first bill, which from the article mentioned that it has already been
“once approved by the parliament and the second bill only gives exclusive employment
rights to men and women who have borne children. Think about it, in Iran very
soon if you haven’t given birth or god forbid incapable of doing so, you can’t
be employed-regardless of how well educated you are.
I’ll also bring to light the story of Reyhaneh Jabbari who was sentenced
to death row in Iran after she refused to allow a man to rape her. Basically
she somehow stabbed and murdered the man in self-defense, according to the
news, and because of this she underwent a strenuous fight trying to shed light
on her situation. Despite the intervention from many countries pleading for her
case, she still underwent the death penalty. There was no mercy for her
defending herself. It’s a very murky situation in such countries because the
women don’t have many rights. If their
women defend themselves in situations, such as rape, which call for oppression,
they will be imprisoned, stoned, beaten, or put to death.
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| Photo: ThePeople'sProdigy
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| Photo: Marsmett Talahassee https://www.flickr.com/photos/63870278@N03/ |
It’s
what I know but I also see my mother and grandmother serving just as strong
roles in their lives and they did raise me, along with my grandfather, to be
educated and self reliant (a lesson which is taking its time). So, being a
child of Abba, and raised into believing women should be humble, and display
modesty, it’s a bit difficult to break out of such a program. However, women’s day just opened another realm
of understanding and seeing a different point of view through the eyes of the
unfairly misjudged and “tired-of –crap” women who are fighting hard for their
place to survive in this out- of- balance world without oppression. Despite all
of this, disappointingly I will have to confess that I do not exactly believe in
equality (well, to an extent) so, such a belief may not make me a feminist. However, I do believe
in standing up and refusing to be subjected to unfair, ridiculous laws which
only create to serve one party.
Afterall, Queen Vashti did refuse to come out to King Ahasuerus
to display her beauty in front of his mates!
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| Photo: Queen Vashti/Esther by Edward Long. Shot by ClaraDon https://www.flickr.com/photos/florida_photo_guy/ |
Leave me a message at the comment section. Really look forward to hearing from you!
Number 6 of the reference list has the story and letter of Reyhaneh Jabbari's good bye letter to her mother. She fought for her right not to be a victim. She may have died for her cause but her story is an inspiration to many.
All sources of info:
4.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2989576/Iran-women-reduced-baby-making-machines-Amnesty.html
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