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International Women's Day

category ireland / britain | gender | feature author Friday March 04, 2005 21:12author by Unnamed - WSM Report this post to the editors

International Women's Day is an expressly political day. In 1907 women sweatshop workers marched in New York and thus the first International Women's day was born.

International Women's Day is an expressly political day. In 1907 women sweatshop workers marched in New York and thus the first International Women's day was born.

International Women's Day
There are a few ways in which International Women's Day can be
approached. It can be ignored. This is what mostly happens in the
mainstream media. Unlike Valentines Day and Mothers Day, cards aren't
given and presents aren't bought. With no profit to be made out of
it, the day is not exactly one that jumps out and grabs the
attention.

For International Women's day this year in Dublin, as an act of
civil disobedience, the Alliance for Choice publicly distributed
leaflets that included the names and telephone numbers of clinics in
the United Kingdom and Europe, thus breaking the 1995 abortion
information law which severely restricts Irish people's access to
information about abortion services abroad. On the other side of the
country, Global Women's Strike called for a picket at Shannon airport
to demonstrate against US military refuelling at the airport.

International Women's Day is an expressly political day. In 1907
women sweatshop workers marched in New York and thus the first
International Women's day was born. Often when women are celebrated
it is because they are either cute (Valentine's Day) or caring
(Mothers' Day). There is nothing wrong with being cute or caring, but
on Internationals Women's day we get to highlight those of us who are
politically active, those who are fighting for a better world, those
who know that there can be a better world. I don't know their names
but I know I have linked arms with women at Shannon Airport
protesting against the war. I've stood in front of bin lorries with
women from the estate I live on. I have met women as we marched,
leafleted, picketed and posters for the right to have an abortion on
Irish soil.

There are many many ways in which life is difficult for women in
Ireland, from our pay packets, to the fact that we get little support
if we decide to have children and no support if we decide not to have
children. We have to wait weeks (and sometimes months) for something
as simple as the result of our smear tests. Like men we live in a
country which can't provide housing, medical services, and security,
basic human needs for all citizens. Yes there is a lot to be angry
about and a lot to change. Thankfully, many of us, like those women
who marched in the cold 87 years ago, are not willing to make do with
what we have been offered. International Women's day is a celebration
of those women who make things better.

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