By Elizabeth Florent
A little historical background
The first International Women’s Day to be significant enough to merit entry in history books took place in 1910 in Copenhagen, where a large group of women officially brought the topic of female suffrage to the fore. The following year, across the United States and Europe, hundreds of thousands marched to demand women’s right to vote and hold public office. Women argued that they did not want to replace men, but they did believe they should have a say in matters that concerned their bodies, their safety, and the welfare of their families. The date of March 8 was established by Vladimir Lenin in 1922 to recognise the contribution of women to the 1917 Russian Revolution. How far have we come since then?
And today…
On March 8, 2025, we encourage you to listen to the experiences of women, young and old, around you.
What is their best and worst experiences around voting? Whose interests do they have in mind when casting a vote?
-Women will often put the needs and demands of others above their own. Women are better at defending others than themselves.
What is women’s work? Do women feel that their contributions are valued?
-Any job that requires attributes such as patience, dexterity and/or organisational skills (often tied to gender-related caregiving roles) is often considered “women’s work.” When women publicly communicate or advocate for themselves, especially in male-dominated fields, they are often labelled with negative stereotypes.
What is the physical experience of being female?
-Menstruation is still considered, at best, messy and awkward, and at worst, disgusting and taboo. The intimate physical experience, often hidden from the world, ranges from uncomfortable to debilitating. Childbearing is a tremendous physical and emotional burden. Menopause can be a professional cliff. These biological realities- experienced joyfully or painfully- will affect, on average, about 35-40 years of a woman’s lifespan.
Do they feel physically uncomfortable in cars, homes or offices?
-Automobiles, office environments, and home furnishings are often designed with specifications derived from biological dimensions of the typical male. Hence, they are often too large, too cold, or too heavy for the average woman (not to mention toilets and plumbing, which are not designed to cope with menstruation).
Have they ever had an experience in which being a woman made them feel that they were in danger? Have they ever experienced an unwanted sexual approach?
-The World Health Organization estimates that 30% of women worldwide have been subject to physical or sexual violence.
And the toughest question of all: “What does International Women’s Day mean to you?”
Two ears and a rose
Whatever your sex or gender, take the time on March 8 to ask women these questions, and really listen to the answers. Many will be coping with the physical discomforts of being female. Many will fight tooth and nail for you- their child, lover, friend, colleague- but will be reluctant to defend themselves. Many will ignore body sensations due to the discomfort caused by their environments. Look around you: every time you see a group of three women, one of them may have been psychologically, physically or sexually abused.
Sigmund Freud famously noted, “The great question that has never been answered, and which I have not yet been able to answer, despite my thirty years of research into the feminine soul is, ‘What does a woman want?”. On International Women’s Day, March 8, 2025, listen with what Freud called “free floating attention”, or, in other words, an open mind. Let women express how they feel; let them tell their stories. Think about what you hear: Does it reflect your own experience? Are you learning something you never thought about before?
Of course, the world will return to “normal” on March 9, but being heard is akin to feeling understood, and feeling understood is a form of love. That and a rose should bring a smile to a woman’s face.