INTERNATIONAL Womens Day.... Was Rubbish

Ethical shopping, exhibitions from fashion designers and Kulture2Couture, preparing meals with Spice Magic and how to fix your bike. Some of the treats in store for us layyyydeees care of our gracious Mayor, for International Womens Day, in an email circulated last week.

What a patronising joke (and way to spend your money!).

Truly emphasising how trivial International Womens Day has become in this country, if it were even needed other than to grab your cash. It took some time to dig about and get some 'soundbites' about meaningful issues that represent the original intention of this day and I posted the ones i found below earlier this week.

In the West weve moved beyond 'feminism'. The IWD website acknowledges that we have come so far, this day is more a 'celebration' than a movement. Yep we left that sad shower of hippie 'radicals' (Germaine Greer and her...um, gusset). The Commies who turned into Barbies PR brigade or worse..Islams PR brigade. Eugh. I'd love to dissolve the twitty 'war' started by people who think i should be boiling pulses, smiling at native dancers (as a token gesture to international) and cooing over some street fashion ...whilst paying glossy lipservice to the environment and 'positive discrimination'. Continued by their male antagonists and 'misguided' f$male chauvinists - the ones who think a womans virtues are best liberated by size 6 airbrushing and frilly thongs. Tweee! Being duped into the male stereotype is nothing new - at the opposite end of the addled spectrum are women who tell you the burqa protects them.

Ultimately - if you want to, you can make it on merit in this country. You can argue your case by demonstrating your self belief, or by example, or presenting a strong enough case, or saying ladz magz schoolboy needling is like Gay Pride - all in-ya-face tits, arse and innuendo.

You can challenge real issues like rape and get it taken seriously. (This is NOT an issue that sits on the left or the right by the way and i resent that being perpetuated by the old associations with the word feminism in this country).

Maybe Ferris Bueller was right all along. "A person should not believe in an 'ism' he should believe in himself. I quote John Lennon, "I don't believe in Beatles, I just believe in me"". At any rate the mysognists that remain here in the West (mostly it would seem bobbing about in the blogosphere..) only need a 'dose' of reality - here we can at least load and administer the 'syringe' ;) .

On a serious note the issues that matter to women here, still do matter but they are perhaps more readily surmountable if we find a common, respectful ground and understand all sorts of issues really do matter to gals ...and guys.. to us all. We all need to 'buy in' to 'it'.

The 'sisterhood' and its true worth in obtaining insurances on votes, a chance to change things politically and fight real injustice should extend to the serious efforts being made beyond our own borders to women who want the same 'start'. Serious serious efforts. Big risks are being taken elsewhere. This international day should be a unique (soley!) an opportunity to focus attention onto those who are making these powerful strides, as the original meaning of this movement intended - if its to have any lasting meaning at all. They are fighters. They have a genuine desire to change their lot and risk it all. The MSM rarely shout about it. This is an opportunity to go all out and support them.

Last year's International Women's Day rally in Iran for equal rights was a horrendous affair. The women were set upon and violently beaten by special anti-riot squads from the Revolutionary Guards. The security forces charged the group and began beating the protesters. Even after the protesters had dispersed many were followed and beaten. Some of the female protesters were beaten repeatedly with batons, and some male protesters were beaten severely by security forces in teams.

Last Sunday in what seems like a premptive attempt to dissuade anyone from demonstrating this year on IWD - and after a year of crackdowns on what women can wear, university places for women and so on...Thirty seven leading Iranian women campaigners were arrested outside the revolutionary court for staging a peaceful demonstration. One was thrown against a busstop and had her teeth smashed. See pictures of the women posted here on ATW and in this link The gathering was in support of five other women activists who were appearing in court for having organised previous peaceful gatherings. The five who were appearing in court today were Nooshin Khorassani, Parvin Ardalan, Shahla Entesari, Fariba Davoodi Mohajer and Soosan Tahmasbi.

The following petitions in support of the arrested Iranian women campaigners -HERE

hat tip on this as always... - For a democratic secular Iran