A woman is called beauty and poetry of the world. Not only are they responsible for maternity, but they need to connect being a wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend or a colleague. Every year, as a token of appreciation we celebrate International Women’s Day in the 8th of March. That day is the reason for thanking and giving love and respect to all women. Nowadays, the International Women’s Day brings mainly positive associations and emotions. However, it used to bring to mind strange aims and feelings. A few years ago, the Women’s Day in Poland was controversial and evoked difficult memories.
This festival has its beginnings in the ancient culture when the March was the time when married women celebrated maternity and fertility. Husbands used to make their wives’ dreams come true and gave them some presents. Through years this tradition has lost its meaning.
Women have been treated as if they were male property, without any choice in their social life, career and either politics. It has happened this way until women started fighting for their rights in the 20th century. This fight was full of blood and death of many women. In New York in 1908, women fighting for better working conditions organized a strike in a factory where they were working. Their boss, not to spread the rumors and to nip the strike in the bud, closed all the entrances of the factory. Unfortunately, there was a fire in the factory so the women burnt down. After those events many women have organized strikes for women’s rights, better working conditions and voting rights. The societies and governments were against their requests. In 1910, the International Women’s Day was agreed to back women’s rights and their voting rights. Thanks to our grandmothers and moms contemporary women can work on universities, in banks or in politics.
In Poland we also celebrate the Women’s Day, however, this is a very controversial feast. It was in the Polish People’s Republic when it had its boom. The Women’s Day was used as socialist propaganda to encourage women to work. Women used to get flowers – carnations. As a result of lacking in products, they were given also tights which were luxurious product all these years. Moreover, this day was a national holiday. Special meetings and workers’ marches were held. Many older generations of women still associate this feast with the communist propaganda.
For younger ladies this day has a slightly different meaning. For them it is more connected with male sympathy with women. According to the contemporary customs women are given small presents in the Women’s Day. Some men buy traditionally sweets or flowers, mainly tulips. Other men invite their ladies for dinners, to the cinemas or even for romantic trips. Students buy flowers for their female teachers and classmates, and co-workers buy them for their female colleagues. Husbands remember about their wives, kids about their moms, grandchildren about their grandmothers.
Stereotypes and associations connected with the Women’s Day are various: communist propaganda, fighting for women’s rights or even feminism. No matter of what memories, feelings or associations we have with this feast, it is worth to remember about women, at least in this special day. Every women, an adult one or a few-year old one, will be happy of the tokens of sympathy shown in flowers or sweets. Women’s smiles are priceless and it is worth to appreciate their contributions in their “job” of a cook, a doctor, a mom, a wife, a secretary or a carer. This little thing, a small trifle can change and make the whole, even the ugliest day better.