It is easy to feel depressed on International Women’s Day – the scale of women’s oppression never seems to lessen, brutal rapes and murders continue to happen daily, girls are refused education or forced into inappropriate marriages or have their genitals mutilated and the places of power across the globe are still inhabited by a skewed proportion of men.
However, I have decided to focus on the things that make me happy on IWD. Here’s my list:
- The feminist blogosphere is full of vibrant, intelligent women blogging up a storm. My feedreader is continually updated with excellent posts and articles that continue to make me think.
- My feminist publisher, Argument mit Ariadne, is doing a brilliant job with the German translation of Balthasar’s Gift. Their sensitivity to the book’s themes, their commitment to feminist crime fiction and their commitment to excellence right down to word level, makes me feel like a very lucky and very fulfilled writer.
- One Billion Rising even took place in Heidelberg – check out this great video, which still makes me cry:
- Opinions may differ on Sheryl Sandberg, but I am all about women of all generations, in all jobs leaning the fuck in. Anyone want to join a Heidelberg Circle?
- Teenage feminists and male feminists. (If anyone could point me to a teenage male feminist, my joy would be complete.)
- The fact that the No More Page 3 campaign is rapidly approaching 100,000 signatures and is still getting loads of press coverage.
- Mamphela Ramphele’s new political party platform in South Africa. She is one of a host of amazing African women who are getting on with making things better.
What makes you happy on International Women’s Day?
ETA: Here’s what I did for last year’s IWD – a Pinterest board.
Charlotte's Web 
March 8, 2013 at 1:23 pm
My wonderful daughters, now feisty, independent, free-thinking women, two of them raising children of their own. One has three boys – still very small – but already she is teaching them to cook!
March 8, 2013 at 5:38 pm
As I read this, my son is cooking the evening meal 🙂 Earlier, he hoovered all the floors in the house, so I could get on with my writing. So I’m celebrating the fact that, although my father was and my husband is an advocate of the old ways regarding the place of women in society, I’ve raised a son to embrace the new ways.
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April 20, 2013 at 5:28 am
I won’t tell ylou how I got to this blog /post – too complicated. Suffice it to say thanks very much for the link to the male feminist blog posting. I loved it. A post not just for the Day but for every man fior every day of the year.
May 21, 2013 at 10:01 pm
I have a teenage, feminist son…