It is difficult for contemporaries to imagine a calendar of solemn dates without International Women's Day on March 8. But few people know how, when and why this holiday arose. At the moment, it has already lost its political and social significance and has become the day when men give gifts and pay special attention to their beloved women.
The history of the World Women's Day on March 8 is very rich in events, connected with the names of famous ladies who lived in the 19th and 20th centuries, and it began in the distant 1857. It was then that the workers of the weaving mill in New York staged the so-called rally of empty pots. The purpose of this solemn procession was to draw attention to the powerlessness and humiliation of women. The women at the meeting demanded that they be recognized as full-fledged citizens of the country and equal members of society. And the prerequisites for the event were the next reduction in wages. According to the second version, the date of the holiday is timed to coincide with the events of March 8, 1917, the day when the Petrograd workers of a textile factory took to the streets of the city in protest against the monarchy and the Provisional Government and demanded equality between women and men, the opportunity for ladies to enter the ruling bodies of the state.
Since ancient times, a woman has been a minor member of society. But with the development of civilization, the concept of "feminism" appeared, which erased gender differences in society and equalized the social status of men and women.
However, the initiative to establish International Women's Day and the adoption of a specific date belongs to one of the founders of the communist movement in Germany and an active fighter for women's rights, Clara Zetkin. Klara made a proposal to include this holiday in the calendar of solemn dates at a meeting of the committee for the protection of women's rights in 1910. But even then no decision was made and a specific day was not appointed for the holiday. The holiday received official status only in 1921, and then only on the territory of the Soviet Union and friendly communist countries, after the adoption of the corresponding convention of the International Conference of Communist Women. Since then, the holiday has been celebrated annually, and since 1966 it has been declared a day off and has gained extraordinary popularity, akin to celebrating the New Year, in most countries of the world.
At the moment, World Women's Day on March 8 is celebrated not only in the post-communist space, but also in many countries of the African continent, in North and South America.
International Women's Day is a day when women are remembered and honored, who took and are taking an active part in the history of mankind, who became pioneers in promoting progress and made significant scientific discoveries. On this day, by coincidence, in Ancient Greece, women staged a kind of strike against the continuation of the bloody war, and in France, a "march to Versailles" was organized with demands for the right to vote, the first technical educational institution for women was opened in Russia, the first women's auto race was held … But in ordinary families, this day has become a holiday of attention to the fair sex, respect and reverence for him, the manifestation of the warmest feelings. Many families have their own traditions and even ceremonies that are typical for this particular holiday.
