Methinks it's a sign that she's not altogether pleased with the status of women around the world today. ;-0
And today, March 8, is International Women's Day: "the global day connecting all women around the world and inspiring them to achieve their full potential. IWD celebrates the collective power of women past, present and future."
Oh, I know it's wishful thinking on my part to connect Mother Nature's whims and the status of women, but I find it fitting and convenient on this important day. A day where we can celebrate the women in our lives and the many strides women have made the world over, as well as to be acutely aware of the injustices committed against women, often with impunity.
I think about my mom and my sister, who have given me so much love and guidance in my life (even if sometimes didn't appreciate it at the time!). I appreciate that they continue to share with me their wisdom, humor, sorrow and everything in between. And I know that I have derived some of my inner strength from them, having watched them endure some of their own struggles while I was growing up. I only have one mom and one sister, so, I don't want to share with you too much how special they are, lest I make anyone abnormally envious. ;-)
Mom and sis, cheers to YOU!
And while I'm at it, let me say cheers to my mil and sils, too. :-)
IWD is an official holiday in some countries: Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. According to the IWD webpage, "The tradition sees men honouring their mothers, wives, girlfriends, colleagues, etc with flowers and small gifts. In some countries IWD has the equivalent status of Mother's Day where children give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers."
I didn't even know this day of recognition for women existed until last year! Worldwide, from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and across America, there have been all sorts of events to celebrate the achievements of women, and also recognize the need for women to have equal access to education, work, pay, legal and basic human rights.
Violence against women is the main thing that makes my blood boil. It's something I've seen and experienced myself (if you include verbal abuse). It pierces my heart and makes me cry every time I hear or read something on the news about women being violated. :-( Doesn't matter if it's the hundreds of thousands of women who have been raped in the Democratic Republic of Congo or a college student who was attacked near the university a mile away...it's a violation against humanity. One act of violence affects not only the victim, but those around her: family, friends, and community.
You may recall in another post that many years ago I had befriended a woman who had been raped at gunpoint while in college. I observed how she and her family interacted with each other, as well as how she interacted with my friends, who tried to be a friend to her. In a nutshell, it seemed always to be an uneasy relationship with all involved; we just never knew when she was going to explode. I don't know that all rape victims respond to life the same as she did, but I realized how an act of violence on just one person can adversely affect everyone around her. :-(
During the 2000 census, the United Nations Population Fund published a sobering report on Violence on Women and Girls and recognized it as a major health and human rights concern. These issues of gender-based violence and all that it wreaks upon the lives of women still exist, unfortunately; otherwise, they would not need to be mentioned anymore.
On a brighter note, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon last month launched a multi-year campaign to end violence against women. :-) Moreover, at the UN commemoration of International Women's Day, he called for greater investment in women and girls (IWD's theme this year) to help further economic growth and advance development. He sounds like forward-thinking leader...I hope so.
Women are half of humanity! I love reading about women in power and/or of influence, which may include writers and artists. :-)
The women in history whose biographies and autobiographies I've read have struck a chord within me; they were independent-minded and often went against the grain--they defied societal expectations and trusted their gut in pursuing their goals. For that, I admire them greatly.
I've read about many influential women over the years, and am sure to read many more in my entire lifetime. :-) The women who have made a deep and lasting impression on me are: Hildegard of Bingen, Harriet Tubman, Eleanor Roosevelt, and most recently--Simone de Beauvoir (my favorite!).
I'll bet there's a Simone, Hildegard, Harriet and an Eleanor lurking in the shadows of the oppressed women and girls on this planet Earth who are starving for an education. They deserve to have basic human rights, legal rights, educational and work opportunities, and freedom from fear of violence with impunity, as many women in the western world enjoy today. They deserve to have choices. Their leaders and communities just haven't given them a chance...yet.
May it be in my lifetime. :-)
Cheers to all the women of the world, wherever you are!
* * * * *
The Laughter Of Women by Lisel Mueller
The laughter of women sets fire
to the Halls of Injustice
and the false evidence burns
to a beautiful white lightness
It rattles the Chambers of Congress
and forces the windows wide open
so the fatuous speeches can fly out
The laughter of women wipes the mist
from the spectacles of the old;
it infects them with a happy flu
and they laugh as if they were young again
Prisoners held in underground cells
imagine that they see daylight
when they remember the laughter of women
It runs across water that divides,
and reconciles two unfriendly shores
like flares that signal the news to each other
What a language it is, the laughter of women,
high-flying and subversive.
Long before law and scripture
we heard the laughter, we understood freedom.
to the Halls of Injustice
and the false evidence burns
to a beautiful white lightness
It rattles the Chambers of Congress
and forces the windows wide open
so the fatuous speeches can fly out
The laughter of women wipes the mist
from the spectacles of the old;
it infects them with a happy flu
and they laugh as if they were young again
Prisoners held in underground cells
imagine that they see daylight
when they remember the laughter of women
It runs across water that divides,
and reconciles two unfriendly shores
like flares that signal the news to each other
What a language it is, the laughter of women,
high-flying and subversive.
Long before law and scripture
we heard the laughter, we understood freedom.
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