Panuno,
The sentiments you express are heartfelt and valid. People, male and female, who put their love and care into the world should be celebrated but I think you’re under-valuing and inadvertantly trivialising something extremely important. International Women’s Day is not a large-scale version of mother’s day or about celebrating famous women, it’s about enabling women today and women in the future to make a difference in the most extreme circumstances. Most of them will never be known and their names will be lost forever but they put everything they have and risk it all into imagining a better life and creating something better for themselves, their families and their communities. They’re not following in anybody’s footsteps, they’re trailblazing a dangerous path against the odds. They’re not exercising their rights, they’re creating their rights from nothing in the face of oppression and violence. There’s no safety net, just hope, courage and a burning spirit that drives them on. They don’t need comedians and pop stars shedding crocodile tears, they don’t need fame or recognition, they don’t need a few pounds donated from a complacent western country. What they need is governments to stop propping up corrupt regimes and turning a blind eye to oppression for commercial or geo-political interests. What they need is fairness and opportunity and they will create equality for themselves and drive sustainable change from within. These great women won’t be known but if I were to live a hundred lives I wouldn’t amount to one of theirs.

Ha! Of course you do...but the horse already bolted last century! Sorry!                                                                                                                                                                             

I think the point is, is that a lot of men would prefer women to have no ambition, and to be happy with their lot, serving them in the kitchen...they dont like to think we are capable of doing MUCH MUCH more..."men's" things...like riding a bike, or mending it! The truth is, we can do ANYTHING men can do, AND give birth...we are still women, and we respect men...we just need the same respect back. I cant believe we are STILL having this discussion in 21st century! X

How greedy the female of our species is. Not content to have a ladies day in june every year, it now appears they need another in march.                                                                                                                                                                             

You can have as many men's days as you like!:-) maybe we need more than you do!                                                                                                                                                                             

I personally dont want or need a day dedicated to my gender, everyday is a good day to just be.                                                                                                                                                                             

Jeeeeezz.....so you didn't read it either slowlyduzit?

When you do, you'll see I'm not undervaluing or trivialising anything – inadvertently or otherwise – I'm sharing a few words celebrating a single aspect of womanhood:)

Conversely I think you're being far too dramatic in stating a point – though women's rights and parity in many diverse cultures are clearly a very long way from where any right-thinking person believes they should be. Me included.
And those struggles you so eloquently pointed out, equally apply to men where it's the race or religion or caste that's oppressed, or have you forgotten Bosnia, or Biafra, or Rwanda, or more recently the Rohinga? In fact I think your descriptions are perhaps more apt there. Oppression doesn't always pick a sex.

But we can't enforce cultural change by commercial sledgehammers or bleeding-heart political posturing, hearts and minds are the key. And sadly that will take more than we will see in our lifetime.

I'm an egalitarian, I always have been, but that doesn't stop me appreciating the mundane any less than the outstanding. Neither am I homophobic or misogynistic or racist. I'll open doors and hold chairs and pay compliments because I like too. For men as well as women.

International Women's Day has certainly made me aware of how far we still have to go with the issues of gender inequality and everyday sexism. I'm sure I speak on behalf of many blokes when I say that all the birds that helped organise it deserve a pat on the bottom for their efforts :)

You started this! You are being a tad disingenuous, if you dont mind me saying, in that you deliberately set the cat amongst the pigeons! International Womens Day, is for OUR benefit, not yours! We don't need to celebrate, what we've all been doing for centuries! Thank you! The only thing men and women need each other for, should be LOVE, PROCREATION, RESPECT, LETTING EACH OTHER BE WHAT THEY WANT TO BE, UNDERSTANDING, and COMPASSION. X

Ah, so it’s sexism then? You can celebrate it but we can’t?
Where’s the parity in that 😊                                                                                                                                                                             

Panuno,
It is you who need to read your own post carefully. You wrote,

"On International Womens' Day many women who are not running PR companies, writing blockbuster novels, flying fast jets, rowing the Atlantic solo or presenting TV shows may feel a little excluded."

It is trivialising and demeaning, you can try to justify it with any number of pompous words you like but it remains what it is.

I’m still chuckling 😂
Moi? Pompous words? Pot, kettle...
And you still clearly didn’t read the 4 words that preceded that.
But don’t worry, I’m sure that those whom you wanted to notice your post have done so 😉                                                                                                                                                                             

International women's Day...... Some women don't feel as equally important as men on this planet. Some women need to know that their sex is irrelevant and that they can do whatever they want to regardless of anything except their ability..... We've come a long way, women now vote, women can own their own properties!!!! etc..... But it's still good to teach young girls the world is their oyster..... Empowerment is always a good thing and it's about women doing what they like so it includes women who chose to look after house running and kids etc...... It's all inclusive and I think any woman who listened knows that
I agree with slowlyduzit...... You just come across as patronising and a exist to me Im afraid mate...

Suzi, Pan never said anything mysoginistic in his original post, instead, it is a dedication to someone in particular he was paying tribute to. That is the way I read it. Others have taken the opportunity to use it as a platform for a bit of man bashing.                                                                                                                                                                             

Whos bashing men?! I love men! Panuno was bashing international womans day! The reality of modern day life for most women, is that we HAVE to work to make ends meet, we have to also be housewives, and mothers too. We are overloaded. Because it is a fact, that men are STILL not doing their fair share of domestic housework in partnerships/marriage. That, would be a constructive subject for international women's day, or panuno to comment on. Love and peace. This is just a discussion, not a sex war. X

Exactly when did Pan bash international womens day in his original post? I certainly can't see where it lies within the opening poem. From your response, you make it sound as if men don't have to go to work but do indeed make the choice to go to work instead of their spouses. Pans opening statement happened to focus on housewives, big deal. There was no subliminal attack on the aspirations, hopes and dreams of women from other walks of life.

At the risk of yet again being called a "disgrace of a woman" I quite frankly didn't know there was a 'special day' for women, other than Mother's Day, and what's more it was just another day in the office. No one I work with mentioned it at all.

Sorry, but I have no intention of joining the celebrations next year. TBH each day of work & play is a celebration for me.

As for the initial post, I read it as D6 did and most certainly as Pan (Primrose!) intended it to be.

Im not dissing anybody! Respect to all! P put up a post for discussion entitled IWD, and he got it! Like Panuno, I absolutely respect the selfless, humble, caring, nurturing work that housewives do in the name of love for their men and families. But that takes some self sacrifice. And they are human qualities, not just reserved for women. And in my experience, there is a very fine line between appreciation, and expectation! Love to all x

As I see it, IWD is about celebrating the achievements of women, outside the traditional roles expected of us. So that our daughters can have role models and something to aspire to, and gain confidence from, to do things they would not have thought themselves capable of. To become happy, confident, fulfilled human beings, as well as caring loving ones. All good! I dont know why some men seem to have a problem with us doing our own thing if we want to? We aren't harming anybody!! You'll still get your dinner!

Thanks to International Womens Day, I learnt how to make my own sandwiches. Until then, I thought a kitchen was the female equivalent of a man cave :D                                                                                                                                                                             

No Cornio!! My 'woman cave' is my playroom (Oo-er Missus) where my music, various game consoles and wine collection is, feck that cooking for men lark lol x