I looked for events in surrounding communities but alas, not even The People's Republic of Northampton (Massachusetts) had anything going on. I did a bit of online reading about it and it appears that outside of college campuses around the U.S., the day is taken more seriously in other countries. Correct me if I'm wrong - I'd love to be.
In my internet meanderings (while my partner W.P. alternately snored and watched Gosford Park on TV), I found this cool article at Susan Polgar's Chess Blog:
MOSCOW, March 7 (RIA Novosti) - Russian women in the Volga region city of Nizhny Novgorod are set to play chess using men as pawns, rooks and other figures on March 8.March 8 is International Women's Day, celebrated as a national holiday in Russia and several ex-Soviet countries.The young men from local universities who have volunteered to take part in the unusual chess matches will wear specially-designed masks and gowns as the women command them around the chess board. The board has been drawn out on a large 'carpet' which will be rolled out on a city square on Saturday."We had difficulties in finding men to volunteer. It was hard to convince young men to be under [women's] control for the games," a spokesman for the organizing committee said, adding that he hoped the event would increase young people's interest in "intellectual pastimes."
Just a note: I didn't intend for this post to be all jammed together like that. Blogger is being sucky and won't save the edits I've tried to make to the post. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteIt's disappointing that we don't see much celebration of International Women's Day in the US, especially considering that the American Socialist Party originally declared it! Even here at MHC there was barely a word uttered. Ugh. Feministing had a cool story about Wajeha Al-Huwaider, a women's rights activist in Saudi Arabia, who defied the women's driving ban in the country in celebration, though. Heartening. And if I'm not mistaken the ban is going to be overturned super shortly- the decision was made a few months ago to do so. :)
ReplyDeleteI wondered if Mount Holyoke had done anything for IWD. Smith did something but it was geared to students.
ReplyDeleteIWD is a national holiday in some countries.
Yes, I read that story on Feministing. Heartening. Yes. Little baby steps and giant leaps backwards if the tireless people stop fighting.