Hi all,
Just a short post this week. I came across this article where supermodel Waris Dirie called International Women's Day absurd. She is not only a model but also advocate for women's rights worldwide, having herself been a victim of genital mutilation when she was a young girl in Somalia.
So I am sort of torn on this issue and so this post will most likely be a series of questions. Is International Women's Day absurd? Do we still need to have one? Does singling out women as special or in need of recognition perpetuate the polarizing image that feminism puts out? Or is Waris just absurd herself? We have days for famous men, but few for women, why not a day where we can celebrate them and their accomplishments? Or are we in a post-feminist world?
Anyways, I am putting these questions out there to think about. I'm not sure where I stand on this issue, but I think it's worth talking about.
Yamz
Umm.........
ReplyDeleteI don't see what is so absurd about having a specific day termed "International Women's Day" ..it doesn't negate the other 364 (?) days of the year; it doesn't make the claim that that is the ONE SOLE day that women ought to be recognised.
What it is, rather, (at least I believe) is a recognised celebration of all those 365 days. Think of birthdays. Think of Mother's day. Father's day. Christmas. International Hug day. Al-Hijra/Muharram. Valentines day. Rosh Hashanah. You name it.
All of these (unless I am wrong about them) are celebrations that occur in a specific day, not negating the importance of the reason for celebration....not negating that it ought not to be recognised during the other days of the year. A celebratory day simply recognises it, brings more awareness to it, creates unity and harmony of celebration.
Also...I think we celebrate women's day but not necessarily men's day because the rights of women are a new thing. We are NOT in a post-feminist world. Maybe in North America...MAYBE. (Though I still think we have some further steps to take; I also think we have some steps backward to take in some instances, but that is another matter.) But there are other places in the world in which women are still belittled. We are NOT in a post-feminist world.
have to end this. didn't re-read or re-think. apologies for any mistakes and oversights.
nads
p.s. this is a good video. She mentions, also, how we are not in a post-feminist world.
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/isabel_allende_tells_tales_of_passion.html
Yes! We need an International Women's Day. We still have so far to go in terms of equality, let alone recognition.
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