These 8 things we no longer want to see on March 8th

March 8 hasn’t even officially arrived yet and already you can see little sexist nuggets popping up everywhere. Is it very different from the rest of the year, you might ask, tired like Jaja?

Not exactly. But damn, March 8th is still THE date that society as a whole could make an effort for. And “making an effort” does not mean “giving ourselves roses”, on the contrary.

Come on guys, it’s not long now, it’s a matter of a few days in real life, you can stop making big hoaxes, you’ll have the rest of the year to offer us targeted advertising and other joys for the rest of the time.

This little list of things I DON’T want to see this year isn’t exhaustive, but I just wanted to make a top 8, just to stay on topic.

Top 8 things I don’t want to see for March 8th

Are you ready ? Let’s go ! Here’s what I REALLY don’t want to see:

1 – Advertising on Facebook/Instagram or in shops to entice me to buy a steam generator or a washing machine, with the words: “give yourself a gift, girls, it’s YOUR day!” »

2 – The windows of florists are overflowing with red roses with the words “to give the woman in your life the flowers she deserves”. Thanks, but no thanks, I prefer equal pay and an end to sexist and sexual violence, tavu.

3 – The baker who offers me a chocolate cake in addition to my baguette “because you have to spoil women” winks winks awkwardly.

4 – Television or news programs that give themselves a clear conscience by inviting women onto their set to push them back into the open starting from March 9, or those that offer services with the title: “these women who do men’s jobs”. Hello, it’s 2024!

5 – The Body Shop near me that offers free eyebrow waxing and any full bikini wax, because “March 8th is the perfect opportunity to pamper yourself.” Since when is hair removal synonymous with well-being?

6 – I don’t care that this guy in front of me is holding the door leading to the subway exit, winking at me and telling me “I’m a gentleman, it’s your wink wink party”. No, it’s not MY party, no, there’s nothing to celebrate, and you won’t get a cookie because you didn’t act like a drag by agreeing to hold a simple door.

7 – I don’t want to hear a boy say, more or less discreetly: “And when is men’s day?” » Um, did you rehearse the ENTIRE rest of the year?

8 – Hearing cisgender guys make stupid jokes to their girlfriend like “come on tonight, I’m the one who cooks” or “I’m the one who washes the dishes”, etc.

Please stop making this date a marketing opportunity, thank you men for graciously respecting their peers all 365 days of the year, thank you for not forgetting why this date exists.

And by the way, what is March 8th for?

In short, if you don’t live under a rock, you suspect that March 8th is not just a day designed to increase the turnover of chocolate shops.

Historically, this day of struggle for women’s rights was decreed by the United Nations in 1977, but the idea had already been thought of in 1910 during the international conference of socialist women, following the appeal of Clara Zetkin, journalist, activist and president of International Socialist Women in Copenhagen.

This historical figure of socialist feminism had the idea adopted by 17 countries and made it an international movement. (To find out more I invite you to read this very comprehensive article by FranceInter.)

The United Nations explained the purpose of this date:

“The United Nations General Assembly invites all countries on the planet to commit themselves to creating conditions favorable to the elimination of discrimination against women and to their full and equal participation in social development (resolution 32/142) And invites all States to proclaim, as appropriate according to their historical and national traditions and customs, one day of the year as the United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace. »

And why is this day, intended to abolish blatant discrimination, still relevant? Because things still haven’t changed enough since 1977.

Unfortunately, as long as women in the world do not achieve equal pay, as long as they continue to be victims of sexual violence, as long as they continue to be beaten, killed, persecuted, as long as they continue to be seen and considered as the “weaker sex”, as long as society continues to believe you have some right over women’s bodies, this day will exist.

So, frankly, great leaders in marketing and the world in general, thank you for stopping making fun of us. On March 8th there is really nothing to celebrate, there is only something to shout about. And not just one day, also all the other days of the year.

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