International Women’s Day
Each year on March 8th all women (even little girls in kindergarten) of Russian Federation are serenaded by men and boys of all ages and showered with gifts, especially flowers. There are festive concerts and interview with famous women on local TV as it is one of Russia’s biggest public holidays, second only to the New Year.
Surprisingly this spring the March 8th holiday has political background
In 1857 in the US women of textile industry in New York protested against unbearable working conditions and low wages. The American Socialist party started celebrating International women’s day in 1909 – it was supposed that exactly on this day women will arrange meetings attracting attention to their problems.
A demonstration of women along Nevsky prospect in St Petersburg on the 28th of February (on the 8th of March according to new calendars) in 1917 launched the Bourgeois February Revolution.
By 1966 International Women’s Day became an official public holiday in the Soviet Union and remains the same in the modern Russia having lost all its original political significance: Women are not striking or defending women’s rights, but every man tries to praise a woman beside him speaking about her beauty, gentleness, and patience.
Happy Women’s Day!