Happy International Women’s day

What’s that you say? International women’s day? A day of general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women and celebration for women's economic, political and social achievements.

In Algeria this day is celebrated like a national holiday…Ah that’s right it is in fact a national holiday, working women get half day holiday and gifts and flowers are bestowed upon them at work.

Festivities everywhere “Bonne fete Madame” you hear, coffees are offered free, women are dressed up in their best matching outfits and men on their best behaviour, making sure they wish all passing women a happy women’s day enjoying the fact that women are in such a good mood being fussed over they can’t not answer such a greeting, thus giving them (men) an excuse to pester them (women).

In Europe and the rest of the world, it’s just another day in the office, nobody has even heard of this, no flowers in the office or free coffees at Starbucks. I am left with questions why? How can a nation that is so “reverential” of women does not mark the International day of women.

I guess it is because to a cetain extent it's women’s day everyday here (not literally), whereas in developing cultures, women are shafted, treated as second class citizens and bullied all year around and so when women’s day arrives, they (men) feel guilty and in an attempt to wipe clean the years’ misdoings they celebrate the women for half a day, of course its straight back to normal the next day and until the next womens day in 2012.

Also probably worth knowing that most of the nations that partake in these celebrations are ex communist, socialite countries, other western cultures don’t feel they have to give the women a special day and this for me asserts our gender equality.

The hypocrisy of this day knows no bound; to start the gifts bestowed on the women of Algeria consist mainly of gender specific equipment such as home making and kitchen utensils for baking and blending as if women shouldn’t have any other hobbies but baking and kitchen related activities, furthermore if a woman is respected in a society she would not need a special day however nice that might be.

I find the whole concept condescending, sexist and chauvinistic as though men are throwing us a bone for all the efforts we did or just to keep us off their backs.

So gentlemen; take your special woman’s day and shove it.