Today is the International Women's Day

[AlphaCentauri]

International Women's Day

International Women's Day (8 March) is an occasion marked by women's groups around the world. This date is also commemorated at the United Nations and is designated in many countries as a national holiday. When women on all continents, often divided by national boundaries and by ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic and political differences, come together to celebrate their Day, they can look back to a tradition that represents at least nine decades of struggle for equality, justice, peace and development.


International Women's Day is the story of ordinary women as makers of history; it is rooted in the centuries-old struggle of women to participate in society on an equal footing with men. In ancient Greece, Lysistrata initiated a sexual strike against men in order to end war; during the French Revolution, Parisian women calling for "liberty, equality, fraternity" marched on Versailles to demand women's suffrage.


The idea of an International Women's Day first arose at the turn of the century, which in the industrialized world was a period of expansion and turbulence, booming population growth and radical ideologies. Following is a brief chronology of the most important events:

1909

In accordance with a declaration by the Socialist Party of America, the first National Woman's Day was observed across the United States on 28 February. Women continued to celebrate it on the last Sunday of that month through 1913.



http://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/women/womday97.htm

[VotesForWomen]

1. worth rembering indeed. thanks. nt

[CTyankee]

2. New Haven's large downtown library had a one woman show on Susan B. Anthony

with Sally Madson. She was excellent. The room was filled to capacity, but most everyone there was older, some downright elderly. Only 2 young people, a boy and girl maybe early teens, brought by their father! THAT was nice!