International Women's Day

It probably hasn't gone unnoticed, but today was International Women's Day. I'm never quite sure what to think of a day like this. Being really interested in gender issues and the whole process of (sub)conscious thoughts and actions that underly the constant creation and recreation of what men and women 'are' according to society, it's a fascinating day. Should I be happy that for one day a year, issues affecting the female population on this planet are given more attention and more awareness is raised? Or should I be worried and sad that it actually takes such a day to get more widespread public attention for these issues when they should be deemed important and brought to the limelight every other day of the year too? Happy that there's a day to recognize and celebrate women and their unique talents, struggles and strength? Or sad that while women make up half of the world's population, apparently it's still necessary to have an International Women's Day to do just that?

I think it's telling that the date for International Men's Day isn't as well-known as March 8 (it's November 19, for those who were wondering) or used to recognize and celebrate men's unique talents, struggles and strength in quite the same way. And it's interesting to see how women are presented in the media on such a day, or how they choose to present themselves. Somehow women's sexuality always seems to come into it, I've noticed, and often it only reinforces all the stereotypical ideas of the differences between men and women. Don't get me wrong, I don't believe men and women are the same or should be the same. Just that they should be valued the same for who they are and what they do, regardless of their sex. And as long as men and women still aren't valued as equals, and women continue to be consciously and unconsciously discriminated against and marginalized in society in some way more often than men (by men and women alike), I do believe it's good that at least on one day a year, people take note. We've come a long way, but there's still a long way to go.
xx