Rlet’s remember it, once again: behind the mimosas, Women’s Day is serious business. Which, with the passage of time, has lost the sense of a day of struggle to become a good opportunity for toasts and dinners out, Women’s Day, in fact. But this March 8th can be a different March 8th to live with participation and awareness, feeding on cultural content, from exhibitions to filmswhich focus on the themes of empowerment and the fight against violence and gender discrimination.
The origin of Women’s Day on March 8
The origin of the anniversary is lost between history and legend. But in any case simply talking about Women’s Day is not only imprecise, it is wrong. The most recurrent is the one that traces the celebration of March 8th to commemoration of over one hundred workers – and workers -, death on March 25, 1911 in the fire at the Triangle Waist Company building in New York, where they worked in terrible conditions. Other versions on the choice of date now link it to one strike of textile workersbrutally repressed in New York on 8 March 1857, now to the pacifist revolt of the workers of Petrograd, on 8 March 1917. The fact is that in 1909 the women’s question, at a certain point in our history, no longer seemed to be postponable and the American Socialist Party organized a demonstration in each of its sections in favor of women’s struggles: the first and official Women’s Day was celebrated on February 23, 1909.
In the first decade of the 20th century in Europe, the United States and Russia Woman’s Day it began to be celebrated on different days and months. We finally chose March 8th in December 1977, when The UN, with resolution 32/142, established the “United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace”.
Why the mimosa for March 8th?
Even the mimosa, which today seems to us to be an empty symbol of Women’s Day, is instead significant. It was chosen in the 1950s instead of the expensive violet by two feminist women from Udi, the Italian Women’s Union: Rita Montagnana, anti-fascist, and Teresa Mattei, communist. It was chosen to express the brightness and energy of women but also because it was “easy to find in the countryside and is also the flower that the partisans gave to the relays”.
Initiatives for International Women’s Day 2024
Have anniversaries and mimosas been emptied of meaning over the years? It’s not late to put a different way of living on March 8th back at the center. So here’s a roundup of social initiatives related to March 8th, from large exhibitions to small provocations. From the many opportunities for personal growth (on the occasion of March 8, the Ministry of Culture has provided free entry for all women in state museums) to actual street demonstrations.
The strike of March 8
It will be March 8th strike general “against patriarchal violence in all its forms”. A strike that wants to transform the wave of demonstrations on November 25th into a “blockade of production and reproduction”, crossing the places where patriarchal violence is practiced every day, “Because if we stop, the world stops”.
In particular, the movement Not one less, which organizes the trans-feminist demonstration in Rome, opposes the “security and emergency approaches with which politics tackles male violence against women and gender violence”. While the objective should be to undermine the mechanisms that reproduce patriarchal society.
A Women’s Day, in short, decidedly full of struggle. On the contrary, March 8 is not a party, it is a shared and collective struggle, as stated in the Flc Cgil flyer (here all the territorial and category initiatives of the union).
Against violence against women with We World
The campaign is active until March 16th Never invisible again, which invites you to support WeWorld’s national program against violence against women. To give voice and visibility back to the many women so exhausted by the violation of their rights wish to disappearof not existing so as not to suffer anymore.
The invitation is to unite in a chain of sisterhood and solidarity to form a barrier, even online, and create a safe space, as happens in women’s spaces. But the invitation is naturally also to donate to 45590 with an SMS or by calling from a landline (2, 5 and 10 euros).
Fragments of a woman
And still on the theme of violence against women, the performance will be staged at the Egoitaliano showroom in Milan Fragments of Woman, theatrical performance organized by the Greek in Movement Association.
Women’s Day and verbal violence? Alexa rebels
A provocation is then that of AlexaAmazon’s voice assistant, which, starting from March 8, she will no longer accept being insulted (as happens in all homes!). And he will respond in kind, supporting theto his rebellious reply with recent research data from ActionAid on aggressive languagewhich is in all respects a form of violence and can lead to various forms of discomfort.
Protagonist of something like 11 billion interactions (in 2023), Alexa can be an active part of positive change.
From gender inequality to sexual liberation: the contents of arte.tv for March 8th
In view of March 8th, the European streaming platform arte.tv presents a selection of content on women’s issues. From misogyny to sexist threats on social networks, until the “neo-perreo”, the “punk sister” of reggaeton which, since its birth in Chile, is transforming into a weapon of sexual liberation. Passing through a documentary on menstrual cycle taboo. And for a reportage on the “cholitas”descendants of the Andean tribes, who in Bolivia practice skateboarding on the highest ice rink in the world, wearing traditional “polleras” skirts.
But there is also space for the portrait of Paladdiaa young stylist, member of the feminist group FAWR in Ukraineand for the series Women Dueling – Challenges in History (below), which pays homage to the women who changed the course of events, from Antiquity to the twentieth century.
The exhibitions dedicated to female empowerment for Women’s Day
Among the many exhibitions dedicated to women and female empowerment we highlight some, produced by the Bracco Foundation. Starting from Extraordinary, 110 contemporary faces and voices, promoted by Terre des Hommes with the curatorship of Renata Ferri and photographs by Ilaria Magliocchetti Lombi (arrived at the Fabbrica del Vapore in Milan). TO Portraits. Women of art and science (Rome, Cloister of the Luiss Campus), which talks about the professionals at the helm of prestigious national museums and some of the most important Italian scientists. Passing through Plot twist. From A for toolmaker to S for sculptor. An unusual journey behind the scenes of a great theatre, the Teatro alla Scala to discover the roles played by women. Prop technicians, lighting technicians, orchestra teachers, stage managers, photographers, carpenters, sound designers, sculptors, costume designers, set designers (Milan, CDI in via Saint Bon).
At the Capitoline Museums, Women in the Art Gallery
On March 8th at the Capitoline Museums “Women in the Art Gallery”, a multimedia project in which the protagonists of some of the Pinacoteca’s masterpieces tell their story, through our smartphone. From the Penitent Magdalene portrayed by Tintoretto at the “gypsy” of Good luck by Caravaggio. While the two women painters Maria Felice Tibaldi Subleyras and Maria Luigia Raggi talk about their lives and their works. In an attempt, once again, to shift the focus of attention to the role that women have had in history and in the history of art.
Women in classical music
And the same can also be said for the history of music. This is why Moiré Gallery Milano celebrates Women’s Day with the first date of Romantic Women, Elena Chiavegato’s tour dedicated to classical music musicians and composers. Thursday 14 March, 7.30 pm, the art, fashion and design gallery in Via Borgonuovo 5, becomes the theater of a piano recital dedicated to the women who made the history of classical music in the nineteenth century and which, for a long time, have been considered minor figures, often unknown or forgotten. Part of the proceeds from the evening will be donated to ANDOS Milan ODV (National Association of Women on Breast Surgery).
A tribute to Madame Elise Hallthe first patron of the sax, one hundred years after his death, is the proposal of the Saxophone Museum of Rome starting from 6 pm on March 8th. With the presentation of the photo book Women in Sax, created with the contribution of the Ministry of Culture and dedicated to women saxophonists.
The women of pop rock music
It goes on sale from March 8 She’s a woman, in which the musicologist Ezio Guaitamacchi tells the stories of 33 (like the spins of a vinyl) among the most iconic women of pop rock music. Stories of emancipation and political commitment but also of violence and abuse. From Patti Smith and Madonna to Sinéad O’Connor and Nina Simone, to Lady Gaga and Amy Winehouse.
The concert of Noemi and Federica Carta
In Rome, right after the round table (at 6pm) on Women: strength, courage, resilience. The witness to the new generations, with the Councilor for Culture and Youth Policies of the Lazio Region Simona Renata Baldassarre, the concert by Noemi and Federica Carta will be staged at the Auditoriom in via Conciliazione (at 9pm on 8 March, free entry with reservation on eventbride.com).
Carla Lonzi and Milanese toponymy
The female presence is also a minority in toponymy. This is why it is symbolic the dedication to the writer, activist and feminist Carla Lonzi, born in Florence in 1931 and died in Milan on 2 August 1981, of the Giardini in via dell’Orso on the corner of via Broletto, in Milan. The ceremony, on March 8, is part of the process of rediscovery and valorization of female figures, often forgotten, which contributed to the construction of today’s city through the names of streets, squares and parks.
Women’s Day for homeless women
But March 8, 2024 is Women’s Day also for homeless women, the most vulnerable of the vulnerable. The expansion of the reception possibilities of the Municipality of Milan is aimed at them, made possible by Night Hospitality Project Of Opera Cardinal Ferrari.
The service can accommodate up to 20 people and will be active until March 31st from 7.00 pm to 7.00 am in the non-profit organization’s Rest Room.
March 8 for women with multiple sclerosis
It presents itself to the general public and in squares throughout Italy as always on the occasion of Women’s Day, on 8-9-10 March 2024. Welcome back Gardensia is an event that aims to support scientific research and the work of Aism for people with multiple sclerosis. Which are, for the most part, women.
With a donation of €15 you can decide whether to buy a Gardenia or a Hydrangea or both.
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