Today marks International Women’s Day, a pivotal day in the fight for gender equality, where marches and interventions are held in many countries to remember the pursuit of basic rights, and equal pay, among other things. But do you know why March 8th is commemorated?
How Did International Women’s Day Start?
This day is celebrated in all countries, and no, it’s not about congratulating us for being women; it’s about reflecting on the historical oppression women have endured regarding gender roles, limited freedom over our bodies, daily sexual harassment, and obtaining the respect we deserve as human beings. March has always been an important month for the struggle, but specifically on March 8th, we recall the day when the workers of the Cotton factory went on a strike and protested against labor exploitation and died due to their employer’s negligence in New York in 1908. A year later, in 1909, the United States celebrated International Women’s Day for the first time, led by the Socialist Party of America.
How Did the Feminist Movement Begin?
To understand the origins of the feminist movement, we must go back to Tsarist Russia. Efforts for women’s rights began long before, and the first Women’s Day was celebrated in the US, but it took a revolutionary turn in Russia in 1917. Unlike the reasons in America, Russia was already a country weary of war (at that time, the Russian Revolution and the ousting of Tsar Nicholas took place), food shortages and escalating popular protests led to the celebration of the International Women’s Day demonstration on February 23rd, 1917, in the country.
According to historian Rochelle Ruthchild, the difference between other protests and the one held on February 23rd (which is equivalent to March 8th in the Western world) was that women were the main participants in the breadline that day and were the most vocal protesters. Fun fact: it’s even mentioned that revolutionaries like Trotsky were upset because the disobedient and unruly women were protesting on International Women’s Day when they had planned to wait until May, referring to the annual protests for Labor Day.
Despite the initial directives from revolutionary leaders, the protests that began on March 8th grew to daily mass strikes of workers from all sectors demanding bread, better rights, and an end to autocracy. A week later, the Tsar abdicated, signaling the downfall of the Russian Empire and paving the way for socialism and the formation of the Soviet Union in 1922, definitely one of the most significant feminist marches of all time.
According to Time magazine, Russian women gained the right to vote in 1917, as a direct result of the March protest. Russia became the first country to enact suffrage legislation for women. Suffragettes in the UK and their counterparts in the United States were inspired by Russian feminists to carry out their struggles, seeing it as progress in women’s liberation. International Women’s Day did not carry as much weight in the United States during the 20th century, but this could be due to constant friction with socialism and the Cold War. Nevertheless, March continues to be an important month for fighting and commemorating women’s efforts to secure basic rights.
Today, the fight has diversified; we see movements like #MeToo demonstrating the constant sexual harassment women face daily in workplaces, homes, and online spaces. Interestingly, some countries have even reformed their laws, for example, against digital sexual harassment, such as Mexico, which created the Olimpia Law punishing those who share intimate photos and videos of women without their consent. France also became the first country this week to establish the right to abortion in its constitution. The fight is gradual, and everyone can fight from their trench, but let’s always remember to be empathetic towards others. Keep up the fight! Courage, and I wish you all many green bandannas. 💚💜
