# women's day



## deine

Hello,

 8 of March we celebrate women's day in Lithuania. It is nice day for women because they (and me too ) get flowers, usually tulips. You can get flower even in the shopping center or on the street....

Actually this day is left for us from Soviet Union, so some people ignorate it on principle.

My question is: Does people celebrate women's day in your country? If yes, is it on the same day?


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## cuchuflete

I am unaware of any such celebration in the U.S.  Celebrating a day for ~50% of the population seems _____________(please add whatever adjective you like.) 

Do you have an equivalent celebration day for the other ~50% of the people?


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## irene.acler

In Italy we do celebrate it on 8th of March, but I think it's becoming a mere commercial kind of celebration. In shops women can get flowers and even discounts on what they buy! It's incredible, if you are a man, you buy for the usual price, if you are a woman, you pay less than the usual price..that's ridiculous!


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## sokol

In Austria there are no celebrations on women's day.

The only things you get on women's day is:
- an article in quality newspapers about women's day
- a short TV report which basically tells that this day now is women's day, and about the still not achieved equal rights for women, and that's about it
- and then if you're lucky some women's organisation might get a small article dedicated to them in a newspaper, as their contribution to women's day

But I think in 'the West' it's mostly mother's day on the second sunday of may on which the female population (_if _they're already mothers) gets celebrated.


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## uchi.m

It is on the same day as Lithuania's---8 of March.

In Brazil, we usually congratulate women on Women's Day. But some people (children, husbands, male coworkers etc.) may give flowers or gifts, too, as a courtesy.


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## DearPrudence

cuchuflete said:


> I am unaware of any such celebration in the U.S.


And yet, allegedly it started in the United States 



cuchuflete said:


> I am unaware of any such celebration in the U.S. Celebrating a day for ~50% of the population seems _____________(please add whatever adjective you like.)
> 
> Do you have an equivalent celebration day for the other ~50% of the people?


In France, when children complain they don't have something like Mother or Father's Day for them, people usually tell them it's because children's day is every day 
But if this can make you happy: "*International Men's Day*" (I had never heard of that).

Anyway, Women's Day is not a holiday in France: no flowers for us.
But I've seen that some women demonstrated in the streets of Paris, apparently to support Ingrid Bétancourt for instance.
So, in France, it's rather political & we rather do that:


> In others, however, the political and human rights theme as designated by the United Nations runs strong, and political and social awareness of the struggles of women worldwide are brought out and examined in a hopeful manner.


So for instance, this year, as the previous years actually, they tried to make people aware of the inequalities between men & women, domestic violence (violence conjugale) even though they are well aware that it change very little the woman's condition...
Indeed, you're right, why do they bother?!...


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## uchi.m

DearPrudence said:


> In France, when children complain they don't have something like Mother or Father's Day for them, people usually tell them it's because children's day is every day



You don't have Children's Day in France?


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## Nanon

Oi Uchi,

The date of the international children's rights day is the 20 of November, but I never heard about any special celebration in France. Maybe in schools (?) teachers say something about children's rights. No special gifts, no toys, no day off.
As Dear Prudence said, French children must be spoilt all year round by their parents ...

About March 8, many people know about that date although they do nothing special. It has not turned into a commercial event yet (although I saw some adverts in shops, so maybe the trend is starting). 
Few people know the story about "bread and roses" anyway (allegedly, in the US strikes where everything started, women carried placards reading “We Want Bread And Roses Too!”)


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## mirx

It was women's day in México too, Día Internacional de La Mujer.

I am not aware of it being a comercial date, and it's a very new celebration as far as I am concerned, perhaps 5 or six old. It might have been mention in the past but it was until recently that people in general identifiy it as such.

It passes for most man completely unperceived, some women congratulate each other, the same as a collegue work congratulates one on one's birthday.

I only see it becoming stronger and much more recognized.

Dear Prudence and Cuchuflete, 
I have received some invitations already to join and create an international day for men. It comes enclosed with a manifesto of all the atrocities that us men have to endure in this harsh life. Most of them in order to satisfy the ever demanding exigencies of the femines.

Regards.


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## avok

deine said:


> Hello,
> 
> 8 of March we celebrate women's day in Lithuania. It is nice day for women because they (and me too ) get flowers, usually tulips. You can get flower even in the shopping center or on the street....
> 
> Actually this day is left for us from Soviet Union, so some people ignorate it on principle.
> 
> My question is: Does people celebrate women's day in your country? If yes, is it on the same day?


 
We also celebrate women's day in Turkey on the 8th of March. It is not really about giving and taking flowers but rather demonstrations / meetings for the equal rights especially in a predominantly Muslim country governed by a pro-Islamist government. 
But unfortunately this year, many women demonstrators were manipulated by some illegal groups / organizations established, of course, by "men".

So, just like she said "One is not born a woman, but becomes one”


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## Psycher

here in Quebec, we don't really do anything special for women's day. they'll mention it on the radio, but i don't know of anyone who goes out of their way to celebrate it.

it has special meaning in my family for personal reasons, so we take notice of it, but otherwise, no one really celebrates it.


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## Blue Butterflies

In my country we celebrate it... quite a lot. Or at least used to. On the 1st of March, we celebrate the beginning of the spring, and it's customary for males to give their wifes/girlfriends/female colleagues and/or employees flowers and sometimes a small object, called "Mărţişor", and object tied with a red and white string (which I think must symbolize something, but I don't really know what).

And in precisely a week's time, there's the 8th, when we celebrate Mother's Day (but also every female's day). Basically, the whole week is one when women are supposed to be spoiled. In the last years, policemen would turn a blind eye if a female driver did a booboo on the 8th, and even gave them flowers instead of warnings.

We are slowly starting to give these habits up though. I'm not sure about this year, but it seemed far less of a celebration than in the past ones.


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## icklemiss_flirt

It isn't really celebrated in England - but it is known. 
The company I used to work for used to send all its female clients a gift for International Women's Day, (i should know, i had to pack them up!) but thats about it!


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## Etcetera

cuchuflete said:


> I am unaware of any such celebration in the U.S.  Celebrating a day for ~50% of the population seems _____________(please add whatever adjective you like.)
> 
> Do you have an equivalent celebration day for the other ~50% of the people?


Yes, we do. We in Russia, I mean.

It's Defender of the motherland day, and it's celebrated on the 23rd of February. It was Soviet Army day previously, but now it's considered something of a Men's Day, when women congratulate their husbands, fathers, colleagues, etc., regardless of their relation to the army. 

Deine, is 23rd of February celebrated in Lithuania now?

Women's Day is celebrated in Russia as well, but I have some doubts about it - after all, the idea belongs to the Communists, whom I strongly dislike. But anyway, it's a nice occasion for giving presents to my Mum and sister.


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## deine

Etcetera said:


> It's Defender of the motherland day, and it's celebrated on the 23rd of February. It was Soviet Army day previously, but now it's considered something of a Men's Day, when women congratulate their husbands, fathers, colleagues, etc., regardless of their relation to the army.
> 
> Deine, is 23rd of February celebrated in Lithuania now?


 
I know that day, but we do not celebrate it.


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## hamshira

irene.acler said:


> women can get flowers and even discounts on what they buy! It's incredible, if you are a man, you buy for the usual price, if you are a woman, you pay less than the usual price..that's ridiculous!


 
really?
didn't know this....I've never had a discount in the women's day....it seems that things change according to every region of Italy!
however, in Italy the flower that symbolize this day is the mimosa!


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## kyrin

deine said:


> Hello,
> 
> 8 of March we celebrate women's day in Lithuania. It is nice day for women because they (and me too ) get flowers, usually tulips. You can get flower even in the shopping center or on the street....
> 
> Actually this day is left for us from Soviet Union, so some people ignorate it on principle.
> 
> My question is: Does people celebrate women's day in your country? If yes, is it on the same day?


 
Yes, in China female workers would have half day off that day. However, the day is celebrated only by married women here.


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## Etcetera

hamshira said:


> however, in Italy the flower that symbolize this day is the mimosa!


In Russia, too.

But this year I've noticed that most men preferred to buy tulips instead of mimosa.


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## Katuka

El 8 de marzo en Chile es el "Día *Internacional* de la Mujer". Internacional que me llevó a creer que ocurría en todos los países en la misma fecha. Viendo este _thread_ me doy cuenta que estaba equivocada.


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## bb008

Katuka said:


> El 8 de marzo en Chile es el "Día *Internacional* de la Mujer". Internacional que me llevó a creer que ocurría en todos los países en la misma fecha. Viendo este _thread_ me doy cuenta que estaba equivocada.


 
En Venezuela es la misma fecha...


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## WAMORZINHO

uchi.m said:


> It is on the same day as Lithuania's---8 of March.
> 
> In Brazil, we usually congratulate women on Women's Day. But some people (children, husbands, male coworkers etc.) may give flowers or gifts, too, as a courtesy.


 Normalmente rosas vermelhas são distribuidas no comércio.
E namorados costumam dar presentes também, coitados se não derem!!


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## Grefsen

*Happy International Women's Day!!*



deine said:


> My question is: Does people celebrate women's day in your country? If yes, is it on the same day?


Not only do we not celebrate "International Women's Day" here in the U.S., but thanks to daylight savings time, today also happens to be the shortest day of the year as well.


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## gurseal

The only women's day celebration I have ever heard of in my country is the Methodists' Women's Day program, and I don't know if different Methodist churches schedule it on the same Sunday.


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## Traduita

I have heard that 8th of March was originally international working women's day, which would make more sense. Does this sound familiar to anyone?


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## jonquiliser

I don't know if it was specifically working women's day, but this day used to be a day of political significance: to celebrate political/social/economic achievements for women, and to highlight ongoing discrimination and oppression. 

Generally, these days date seems to be more connected with giving flowers to partners, or to praise the excellence of women - kind of in a spirit of thanking women for taking all the shit that's thrown on them the rest of the year.

But sometimes there are also some demonstrations or other events organised.

At least this is the situation in Finland.


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## Grefsen

jonquiliser said:


> Generally, these days date seems to be more connected with giving flowers to partners, or to praise the excellence of women - kind of in a spirit of thanking women for taking all the shit that's thrown on them the rest of the year.
> 
> But sometimes there are also some demonstrations or other events organised.
> 
> At least this is the situation in Finland.



A few years ago some of my eastern European friends informed me about the importance of "International Women's Day."  It is apparently a huge *faux pas* for a man not to give flowers to his wife or girlfriend on this day.  

After reading this thread I get the impression that Central and South Americans celebrate this day similarly to eastern Europeans.  It seems as though women in the Nordic countries are aware of this day for the most part and no doubt appreciate receiving flowers and/or a gift, but apparently don't expect it....at least yet.


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## jonquiliser

Grefsen, I don't know if I'd say it's considered a faux pas not to give flowers, but the flower-business definitely dominates the day and awareness about its political significance is saddeningly low. Unfortunately. No flowers in the world can make up for oppression.


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## Argónida

Traduita said:


> I have heard that 8th of March was originally international working women's day, which would make more sense. Does this sound familiar to anyone?


 
Yes, to me. In fact this is the real meaning of the 8th of March. Nothing to do with flowers, feminine charm and men giving thanks because we are sooo wonderful, but with laboral rights and class struggle.

But in the last years social classes seem to have suddenly fade away so the "working" has magically disappeared from the name of the celebration. Now all the women are the same. Sure? I'm not like Alicia Koplowitz and I don't want men to give me flowers because I'm a woman. I want to celebrate I'm a working woman who has (or has the right to have) some rights because other brave working women throughout the recent History had sttrugle for it (against capitalist men and women). To sum up, it's not a matter of men/women but of working class women/capitalist class people.


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## Grefsen

To all the foreras who celebrate on March 8th, 

*Happy International Women's Day!! *


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## Dr Z

Traduita said:


> I have heard that 8th of March was originally international working women's day, which would make more sense. Does this sound familiar to anyone?



Yes it was, it commemorates afire that started in a factory in NY killing arround 150 garment workers, all or most of the women in 1911. Until 9/11 it had the higher number of deacsed people in their workplace in the states.

The commemoration was started by the Socialist Party of America and followed by most of the Socialist Parties and Trade Unions in the world.


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## carlosch

it is celebrated in Puerto Rico (but not as a full holiday like Mothers day), you always hear and you are reminded on the radio and in the press that it is the _Día de la Mujer_ (woman's day), some celebrate it as the _Día de la mujer trabajadora (_working woman's day_) _while others simply celebrate the day for all puerto rican women, including working and non working.


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## coppergirl

It is on at least some of the pre-printed calendars in the UK, but the only people who wished me Happy Women's Day this year was one friend from Italy (where they seem to be more aware of it) and one from the USA (who is feminist and very aware of all issues which affect women, women's rights etc.)

Sadly, there is no day off work for women everywhere, so life goes on much as it always did. It's not like Christmas or anything. I think the real problem with it here is that it falls VERY close to UK Mother's Day (or at least it did this year), making it a sort of celebratory poor relation to the latter, more popular celebration.

I'm not a feminist myself, but I also don't have a problem with the concept of International Woman's Day, only because it's probably fair to say that historically women have endured centuries of being considered "second rate citizens" to men in terms of their legal rights, right to own property etc. Whilst this has largely changed in certain nations, at least legally if not in every case, there are many other nations where it has not. 

Hence, if women were recognized with an international holiday, in my view this one might at least serve to raise awareness for women's rights in nations which still have a long way to go in this particular area of equality between the sexes.


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## Maja

uchi.m said:


> It is on the same day as Lithuania's---8 of March.
> 
> In Brazil, we usually congratulate women on Women's Day. But some people  (children, husbands, male coworkers etc.) may give flowers or gifts,  too, as a courtesy.


Same in Serbia.
The  flower is usually carnation, but it can be any other flower as well. 
When  I was a kid, we used to make presents for our mothers in school (e.g.  pin cushions and cards that we would drew ourselves), and for our  teacher (if she was a female, of course) the whole class would gather  the money and buy flowers. And we would listen about Clara Zetkin etc...

At work places, women would usually get flowers and  probably half a day off or something like that.
But I don't believe that the holiday is alive today in that  extant. 

To me, in a way, it was more  of a Mother's day than Women's Day. Although we do have Mother's Day,  Father's Day and Children's Day, but they are religious holidays. 
(They are not commercialized and are celebrated sometime around  Christmas (they are moving holidays). The custom for the holidays is  very interesting to children because they get to seemingly "tie" their  mother (for Mother's Day) or father (Father's day) to a chair and ask  for presents in exchange for freedom. Of course, parents know what will  happen in advance so they buy smt for children and pretend to be  surprised when they find themselves tied up ).


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