International Women’s Day
Most countries around the world are celebrating a holiday today. While here in the United States we might have a few blog posts and an auxiliary lunch or two, other countries are hosting parades and setting aside time to honor women. For today, March 8, is International Women’s Day. A national holiday in some countries, this is the day set aside to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women. Of course, just mentioning the day’s existence prompts some to ask “well, why isn’t there an International Men’s Day?” In response I’d echo my mom’s reply when on Mother’s Day I would ask her “why isn’t there a kid’s day?” and she would say “because every other day is kid’s (men’s) day.”
But the fact remains, if women truly were treated as equals, valued for our contributions, respected for our ideas, and not assumed to be inferior or incapable in any way, then there would not need to be a day to bring attention to the achievements of women. If women commonly weren’t passed over for jobs, paid less for doing the same work as men, mocked for trying to get ahead, and told that they are only worthwhile as nurturers or pleasure-providers then perhaps the reminders of what women are capable of wouldn’t matter. I have of course seen great advances made in women being respected as whole people and have personally witnessed hearts soften as hatred melts away. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t still struggles.
All too often men feel threatened by the idea that women are capable and worthy of respect. To them, treating women as equals implies some sort of competition – taking away their opportunities and challenging their manhood. I’ve had guys tell me that women should be barred from working outside the home because they take jobs away from men who need them. I’ve been told that in suggesting that the specific qualities of a woman would be helpful in a certain job that I am preventing the best person for the job (a man) from getting it. That all women have to offer that men can’t is their victim status, so why bother with women at all. That God would never have allowed patriarchy to exist and men dominate women unless that was the way it was intended to be. Absurd as these arguments are, I still hear them on a regular basis.
I know a lot of this is based on cultural conditioning. Men are taught to define their very worth by their ability to have power over something. To treat women as equals to be respected challenges that conditioning. Unfortunately, the common response to this is not to unlearn those cultural lies, but to lash out against women and reassert power. Men who respect women, champion their achievements, and fight for their inclusion are condemned alongside women as being less than “real men.” It’s hard not to see why we still need a day to be reminded of what women have done and our ability to capably serve society. We know it’s not about competition, having power over others, or declaring a winner. We just wish certain men would get over seeing us as threats and start productively working for a better world together.
This desire on behalf of women is nothing new of course. I found it fascinating to read recently one of the first English feminist pamphlets written by a woman. Rachel Speght was the daughter of a Calvinist minister who later married another Calvinist minister who wasn’t afraid to encourage men to a more loving and Christ-like attitude towards women. In 1617, she published under her own name (rare for women in those times) A Mouzell for Melastomus (A Muzzle for the Evil-Mouth) in response to a booklet detailing why all women are corrupt and should be despised by Joseph Swetman (often referred to as “the woman-hater”). In it she implores men to stop showing ingratitude to God by treating the women around them as less than the equal partners God created them to be -
Let men therefore beware of all unthankfulness, but especially of the superlative ingratitude, that which is towards God, which is no way more palpably declared, then by the contemning of, and railing against women, which sin, of some men (if to be termed men) no doubt but God will one day avenge, when they shall plainly perceive, that it had been better for them to have been borne dumb and lame, then to have used their tongs and hands, the one is repugning, the other in writing against Gods handy work, their own flesh, women I mean, whom God hath made equal with themselves in dignity, both temporally and eternally, if they continue in the faith: which God for his mercy sake grant they always may, to the glory of their Creator, and comfort of their own souls, through Christ Amen.
This is my story. It is the world I still encounter and the plea I make every day. I echo the words written nearly 400 years ago asking that men stop mocking God in their treatment of women. We’ve come a long way, but still have a long way to go. This is why I find International Women’s Day important – we still need these reminders and the encouragement that we can do more.
julieclawson(at)gmail(dot)com 
Thanks, Julie! The quoted portion from Speght’s “A Mouzell for Melastomus” was especially forceful.
“I echo the words written nearly 400 years ago asking that men stop mocking God in their treatment of women.” …agreed and highlighted and underscored and triple emphasized!!
I’m considering a RTW starting in November, and as a photographer – one of the things I am interested in studying as I travel is the place in society that women have in every country I travel to. Should be interesting.
To readers and advocates;
As a formal statement regarded my next choice words, I do say I agree with the idea of woman s day and feel that women have been mistreated in the past and deserve better.
However; must the world continue to pursue ‘justice’ in a system that is border lining sexiest against everyone else. You have woman s day, and children s day. There will never be a man’s day, (save Fathers Day) because that would be seen as a sexiest. Although you have a woman s day. I think that is almost like having a white history month as opposed to a black history month. You might consider that racist. Women fight to have equal rights in everything; women want to play with men in sport, but have women only sports. Women will continue to fight and scream their rights aren’t equal but the fact is they are if not better than a man’s right. Women say they were assaulted by a man, he mind as well run for the border. Man assaulted by woman, proceed laughing. The idea of woman s day in my mind was to curb the injustice of what happened in between the 1920 – 1970 or so. Yes, it still happens now, but not as frequently and it also happens to men.
I ask you questions then….
Why should me, a 26 year old male feel pressured into laying down my rights and abilities to make a woman feel and look better?
Why should I have to stop fighting for my right in a job just so I don’t look sexiest?
Why do I suffer from the sins of my fathers?
I will speak for most men when I say, you have your rights, you have your equality. You may or may nor choose to use them or think they aren’t good enough.
A woman s pen is just as powerful as a mans.
Sins Guy – I find it fascinating how well you reaffirmed exactly the fear I was talking about in my post. You see advances being made for women and think that the are threatening to men. Your response is to lash out against them, complain, and assume that since women have some rights (men can’t walk all over us anymore) we therefore have more rights than them. You suggest equality is achieved, but then demonstrate exactly the hostile environment that we women face everyday.
Yes, men will have to stop fighting to hold onto complete power. If we want a healthy world that power must be handed away and shared with women and minorities. That takes sacrifice, that takes humility. This is the world women are fighting for – not to humiliate or dominate men, but to work together without fear. No one is asking you to lay down your rights or your abilities, just not to silence or step on others in order to do so. Big difference there. Yes, it will take sacrificing pride and power and cultural conceptions of success as defined as the oppression of others – but in my opinion laying down such things and pursuing collaborative leadership makes one into a better person. As Jesus said – “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” Laying down fear and pride and control in order for everyone to have equal rights and to use their abilities seems like a perfect expression of that love.
What a refreshing perspective on women’s rights. Perhaps, some of this male hostility stems from the unfulfilled “rights” that the current power structures have promised them. These perceived rights–to power, to rhetorical agency, etc– lose some of their cache when shared equitably. A question that I have been pondering: Who is more oppressed, those who are openly oppressed by the systems of power; or those(i.e. men buying into patriarchy) who are oppressed by the same system and do not know?
Sarah – fantastic question
I figured someone would backlash at my comments.
I going to step out onto a limb here, a very fragile limb I might add, hanging over a cliff of certain doom.
Although I will come out and say it.
I’m going to quote, and I wish some men would come here and back me up a little on what I am about to say.
Julie, thank you for your reply, it is insightful and welcomed.
I don’t see advances made by women at all threatening. I am a school teacher and I’ll tell you Women do my job WAY better than I can.
I was raised by two women, only 2 women. I have the deepest respect for them. As I was taught.
your quote .”That takes sacrifice, that takes humility. This is the world women are fighting for – not to humiliate or dominate men, but to work together without fear.”
1. Thank you for stating this, that is what I was talking about. You don’t want to dominate men. I agree most women are very well attuned to this idea and follow through.
2. Women my age use the argument of ‘women s rights’ to control workplace and relationships. (In my younger years I worked at Sports bars. for 8 years. I could never get moved to a waiter position simply because I don’t have the required ‘tools’)
3. I’m sorry if you feel my message was threatening. That was not my intention.
4. The world we live in today, I’m sorry to say, will never have equality, not just between sexes but also race, age, social status and of course wealth. Of course that for another “Forum”
You fear men will feel chastised by advancing women and try to reaffirm their ridiculous notion of power. I agree.
My key point is, through the fight for rights as a women. You might be sending the wrong message to younger generations that they should step all over men to get want you want.
Consequences?? Who cares, if you get what you want? Fight for your rights as a woman!!
If I walked into a company with another women, looking for the same job.
I went to the interview and said if you don’t hire me instead of that woman I’ll tell the courts and media you are sexist and didn’t hire me because I’m a man. (Proceed Laughing)
Woman says the same thing, they might have to think twice about it.
This is what I mean. This is the way of the world. Once we can abolish currency.
Nothing will change, or it just might get worse.
To reiterate… I mean no hostility. I’ve thought this for a while. I just want to see a womans perspective to this.
P.S. I am not religious.
Sins –
What I find interesting is that you think you not getting hired as a waiter in a sports bar for not having boobs is about women’s rights. Sure only women are given that job, but only so that they can continue to be oppressed and reduced to their bodies. Are you saying you want the right to be objectified and treated as just a pleasure toy? Seriously?
The world is sexist, and yes we women have to fight it still. I’m not going to tell my kids to stop fighting injustice if it still exists just because some might take it the wrong way or some men feel threatened. And I don’t accept “that’s just the way the world is” arguments. The world is a lot of crappy things – that doesn’t mean they can’t be changed. I don’t give up that easily.
Thanks for posting about this. You are certainly right in saying, ‘But the fact remains, if women truly were treated as equals, valued for our contributions, respected for our ideas, and not assumed to be inferior or incapable in any way, then there would not need to be a day to bring attention to the achievements of women.’
EP
I confess. I do struggle with this. I don’t mean that I struggle with what you have to say, Julie, but that there are times where I do feel threatened, there are times when I don’t really want justice for others because I think it means “losing” my place at the head of the line. I struggle with conversations where I’m told that as a white, American male, I have had my turn and am no longer allowed a voice – I know that to be an overreaction that replaces oppressor with oppressed rather than eliminates oppression. I struggle daily with desiring the fullness of Jesus’ love and compassion and dignity for every person and every creature and all of God’s creation against old ways of thinking that don’t believe there is really enough manna to go around. I hate that the church I am a member of has and continues to be a source of discrimination and abuse.
I look forward with great hope and expectation to the day when we – as a church and as the human race – realize God gives more abundantly than we will ever imagine and that there is no shortage. I look forward to the day we place special days on our calendar for both men and women, kids and parents, cultures and ethnic groups of all sorts, solely out of thanksgiving for one another and not because it is the only way we will recognize every part of God’s creation as worthy.
I do feel threatened – because every change is a threat – but as long as injustice exists, I need to be threatened.
It is interesting to understand that in many countries where International Women’s Day is celebrated it is definitely not a political event, but rather a sort of a mixture of Mother’s Day and St. Valentine’s Day. But still it’s a beautiful day to express your appreciation and love to the women in your life. And it’s great that the tradition to give tulips and gifts is not just a “home” event, but many companies hold celebrations in their offices the day before IWD (since in many countries it’s an official holiday). It’s a really warm day when you can do your best to your women: e.g. for our company’s ladies I’ve shot a creative greeting video (you can see it in my blog) which made them very happy.
And it’s funny, I was surprised to find out that International Women’s Day is also celebrated in other countries that just Russia and CIS countries. I thought that it was something taken from Soviet culture and not celebrated anywhere else, and when I found several notes about it at whitehouse.gov on the official White House blog, it was so cool.
I should have invited you to the viewing of Iron Jawed Angels we had tonight! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338139/quotes Powerful movie about the fight for women’s right to vote (even if it was an HBO dramatization). E-mail if you’re interested in borrowing it. I live right down the road from you…
This is a really wonderful discussion. Thanks Julie, everyone. Sarah mentioned, and I think its a really good point, that in a patriarchal culture (or colonial for that matter) the oppressor is also being harmed in the relationship. Now, clearly, the immediate harm falls upon those who are being diminished and unheard. But, the long term consequences of bullying and even just turning a blind eye towards injustice means suffering a whole world of lost opportunities and missed deeper relationships.
This is also really applicable to development work (my thing). Good, transformational relational development recognizes and learns from the other’s strengths and capacities. If one goes in on a white horse carrying a white flag, somethings gonna be missed, the view is just too far away from the back of a horse…and too far removed from the lovely things happening on the ground. Sorry, that was a tangent…the strength in respectful, transformational relationship is just an exceedingly better way.
Cindy
Women must enable other women to look beyond the framework of the deficient education that men are given that intimidation, strength, and coercion is sufficient for living. That wrong message to men destroys their potential and leads them onto a path defined by the Darwinian notions of “survival of the fittest,” that pits man against man in his struggle for survival.
It greatly underestimates what men are capable of, and offers a robotic perspective of the world that doesn’t exist except in war games.
Life is not meant to be a war for anyone, but the infusion of this deception makes it become a war for everyone.
Women teaching women that men can and should be expected to produce more than this simplistic view of the universe is one of the greatest gifts women can give each other, and one of the greatest gifts women can give to men – so they may develop their potential that lies beneath the surface of what male hierarchies have defined as the most males can do.
Pushing males beyond the ordinary limits of culture means to give them wings of their own making, and wings worthy of having because they are self made. In turn, they offer wings to women. History confirms that among human relations, this has always been true.
Helping men to impress themselves by knowing their own hearts is what women were put on earth to do – to help release the male within his ordinary confines.