International Women's Day has an official version of its occurrence. For the first time on February 28, 1909, it was organized International Women’s Day History / The University of Chicago members of the Socialist Party of America in memory of the New York strikes of textile workers, which took place in 1857. At that time, women opposed poor working conditions and the lack of the right to vote in elections.
After 52 years, the position of women has not changed much, so the requirements as a whole have remained the same. In 1910‑ the Second Women's Socialist Conference was held in Copenhagen. On it, Louise Tsitz, Clara Zetkin and other activists proposed to make Women's Day international in order to unite in the struggle for rights. Finally, the need to have such a date became visible after the fire of 1911 The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire and International Women’s Day: 100 years on / International Labour Organization at the Triangle Shirtwaist factory. Then more than 100 workers died, most of whom were immigrants. The doors were locked during the shift, so the employees were trapped. And flimsy fire escapes collapsed, which caused some women to crash while trying to escape.
As a result, the holiday took shape in the International Women's Day, which we know. But periodically, on the eve of March 8, texts appear with the message "Just look, what are you celebrating?" According to an alternative version, in 1857, sex workers, not textile workers, came to the demonstration. And they demanded not the right to vote, but that the sailors be paid. Otherwise, they have nothing to pay for the services of girls. However, this version is not doing so well with reliable sources.
But even if we assume that sex workers are involved in the case, in fact, this does not change anything. Firstly, the holiday was born at the beginning of the XX century, and the names of the activists who organized it are actually known. Secondly, sex workers are also women who, if this legend were true, fought for their rights. In particular, for the right not to starve to death. The problem of prostitution and sex slavery of women and girls remains relevant to this day. So this version does not devalue March 8, but gives an extra reason to think about what is wrong.
You can read about the history of the holiday in a more detailed form in a separate material Lifehacker.
It is believed that International Women's Day is celebrated only in the post-Soviet space, and even then not in all countries. This statement is not entirely true. Back in 1977, the UN adopted a resolution History of Women’s Day / United Nations calling for March 8 to be considered a day of struggle for women's rights. But it is celebrated everywhere in different ways.
For example, in Russia it is a non-working day, and many associate the holiday with flowers and gifts. In Laos, it is also a day off, in China, on March 8, company executives are recommended to shorten the working day for girls. There is this holiday in some African countries. And in the United States, it has grown to women's History Month, dedicated to the contribution of women to the development of the country.
Sometimes you can find the statement that March 8 is mothers' Day, and therefore those who did not give birth are in flight. This myth has a political and socio-cultural background. In the first half of the XX century in the USSR, emphasis was placed on the role of women as workers, activists, communists and, of course, mothers too, on their contribution to society. However, in the second half of the century, the official rhetoric changed About. Voronina "Gender" Holidays: Transformation of symbolic meanings / Woman in Russian Society . There was a decline in the birth rate, so through the media they began to emphasize the roles of women as mothers, grandmothers — in general, an active participant in the process of reproduction and raising children. So it's just the machinations of state propaganda.
On March 8, it is customary to give yellow fluffy flowers, which are located in large numbers on the branches. They often illustrate postcards dedicated to the holiday. And on the eve of International Women's Day, plants appear on sale both in stores and at illegal dealers on the sidewalks. These flowers are commonly called mimosa. But in fact it is acacia silver.
It is difficult to establish the exact reasons for such confusion. Perhaps the fact is that the silver acacia previously belonged to the now disbanded mimosa family. Now it has been recorded in legumes, but the sediment remains.
