Inspire Inclusion is the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day on March 8
All women are remarkable. Some inspire me more than others—especially Yukon women. The women I know in the Yukon choose a life that feels unusual to someone from Europe. They aren’t afraid of extreme cold, wildlife and living off the grid. They are very hands-on, like friends of mine who built their house on their own and, meanwhile, were living in their shop. Yukon women grow their own vegetables in a harsh climate, they help with hunting and cutting meat, they brew their own beer (just a few of the things I know about Yukon women).
In Germany, my life looks different than the lives of my female friends in the Yukon: I balance my life between work, my partner, friends, family and following my bliss when I go travelling. I hunt my meat at the butcher’s, and when it’s cold, I turn on the heater. I like to be capable of all of those things that my friends are capable of, but my priorities are different. I enjoy a comfortable home, but I also learned to enjoy camping and staying in the wilderness back in the Yukon, where I used to live.
The women of our day can be anything they want to be. They can have anything in our Western world. In countries such as Iran or Afghanistan, this is different. International Women’s Day (IWD) reminds us that not all women in the world are free to do and be whatever they want. The day is celebrated worldwide on March 8 and its roots go back to the beginning of the 20th century.
In 1908, thousands of women took to the streets of New York City to demand equal payment and better working hours. The original idea for IWD came from Clara Zetkin, socialist and leader of the Women’s Office for the Social Democratic Party, in Germany. While at a conference in Copenhagen, she had the idea for that day in 1910. They demanded the right to vote, which women in Germany obtained in 1918.
In 1975, the United Nations declared IWD as a holiday. In some countries (such as Nepal, Burkina Faso or Cambodia), it is a public holiday. In China, women get half of their workday off. The annual day has drawn criticism from feminists who say it risks becoming like a second Valentine’s Day. In fact, women are getting flowers that day. But IWD is a political day: Every year, a theme is chosen to promote a particular issue. This year’s theme is Inspire Inclusion. “When we inspire others to understand and value women’s inclusion, we forge a better world. And when women themselves are inspired to be included, there’s a sense of belonging, relevance and empowerment,” it says on the website of IWD (www.internationalwomensday.com/Theme). They quote activist Gloria Steinem, who once said, “The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights.”
With the upcoming elections of the European Parliament in June, IWD (in Germany) will be all about democracy and campaigns to encourage women to get involved in politics. In some cities, there will be demonstrations. There will be no demonstrations in the Yukon, but the Dawson Women’s Shelter (dawsonwomensshelter.com), for example, is posting a reminder of IWD. They have a 24-hour hotline for victims of violence. The campaign reminds us that not all women in the Yukon have a free and privileged life, and some are experiencing gender-based violence and drug addiction.
The Inspire Inclusion theme sounds fancy to me, but when I think about it, my female friends in the Yukon did just that—they inspired me: they included me in activities such as hiking and bushwhacking and gardening and cutting meat … and I know that when I come back (even after a long time), they will include me again—easily.
