March 8th :Women’ Day

Women’s Day On March 8th is the “Woman’s Day”. Women usually gain together and go out. Do they know what happened on March 8th a century ago? Is it a happy day or a sad day? Let’s see….

March 8th 1908 Its origin dated back to 1908, when, in New York, some female workers in a cotton factory went on strike for their bad work conditions. The strike lasted some days. On March 8th, the owner, Mr. Johnson, closed all the factory’s doors so the women couldn’t go out. The factory was burnt and 129 women died. This day is in memory of those women and it represents an international struggle day.

The Mimosa is the symbol of this day and it was used for the first time in 1946 in Italy. It was chosen by Udi (Union of Italian Women). They chose the Mimosa because of its yellow flowers, and it was cheap and was in bloom in that time of the year. It was a simple choice but a idea of great success, used until now. Nowaday it is a “logo” for posters, postcards and magazine covers.

Women in History In the past, women were subordinate to men. They did not take part to the political life or education, they did not vote, and so on; all that created a contrast between female role and male role. For centuries women have been kept indoors, their only role was to procreate and tidy the house and take care of the family. But women began to rebel and to claim their rights, as the right to work and vote. This movement is called Feminism. It began to spread in 1600 in Europe

The Suffragettes The Sufragettes began to claim the right to vote. One of the most famous was Emily Pankhurst, she was the leader of femminist movement in England. In Italy women could vote in 1946 for the first time.

Emily Pankhurst

Women today… Nowadays women have more rights than the past  Can vote  Can study  Can work  Can hold a political role

Can vote …

Can study …

Can work …

Can hold political roles…

There are…

Writers Aminata Saw Fall Dacia Maraini Anne Tyler Isabelle Allende

Artists

Presenters Journalists Poets Sportiwomen

In western societies, there are also many women that depreciate their image and intelligence … Italy, for example, nowadays, is the country of show assistants, showgirls, dancers and so on.

There are always difficulties for women to assert themselves at the workplace. Compered with the past, many women work, but the statistics say that there are some differences with men, especially in politics and at the workplace Not only mother

Women wages Wages in Italy: Differences Men/Women par to 27%

In some countries women haven’t got the same rights of men… Women like us but with little rights

Women in China In China, young women are sold to unknown men to be married. “Guairai” is the name of this traffic. In 2000 the government set free 110 thousands of women and 30 thousands of young girls. But the problem still exists Many young women are drugged, raped or sold several times. If one of them tries to escape the kidneppers cut them feet tendoms. In other cases the young are bought by factories’ owners for working at low salaries or are victims of the streets. In accordance with some statistics, every year in China many women commit suicide.

Women in India Neverthless India is a country in a economycal growth, it is a patriarchal society and women are subordinate to men. Women have to face violence within the family. Every year thousands of women die in terrible circumstances.

Women in Afghanistan For Talibans women have no importance. They are used for making children, satisfying their sexsual needs and houseworking. Only few women can work as doctors or nurses in Kabul

Some Sicilian Women The baroness of Carini The legend says that Donna Laura Lanza married at only 14 to a man she didn’t love. Then she felt in love with Ludovico Vernagallo.. When the lovers are discovered by her husband and her father, they are killed together.

Franca Viola Franca Viola, was born in Alcamo ( Sicily) in 1947, she was the first woman to refuse a marriage of convenience, becoming a symbol of the emancipation of Italian women.

Rita Atria Daughter of a boss of the Mafia ( Partanna, Trapani), after the murder of her father and her brother, Rita decides to cooperate with the police, she was only 17. Abandoned by her family, she is alone. The only friend she has got is the judge Borsellino. After the judge’s death she committes suicide. On her tomb is written “ The truth lives”

Rosa Balistreri She was born in 1927 in Licata and was very poor. Her childhood was very humble. She suffers a lot until she meets some young Sicilian men of letters as Renato Guttuso and Ignazio Buttitta. Rosa bacomes a good and famous ballad singer. Her songs speak about hard work, hungry, injustice, love, desperation and the Sicilian people’s anger She has been considered “The Voice of Sicily”

Carrère M'bodj Sarah is the only woman able to play the Kora, an musical instrument played by men. She speaks French, English and Spanish and plays famous poets as Pablo Neruda, Jorge Louis Borges, etc.... She sings in ouoloff (her mother tongue) and Mandingo. Some famous women from Senegal

Writer from Senegal ( Saint Lous ), Aminata Saw Fall takes a degree in French literature at Sorbona in Paris and in 1963 comes back to Senegal where she teaches In 1985 becomes President of Writers Association from Senegal, she is the first woman in this role. In her works she speaks about the daily life in her society

Aïssa Maïga (Dakar, 1975) Senegalese actress. At the age of 21 she becomes an actress. You can see her in L'un reste, l'autre part nel 2004, Bambole Russe nel 2005, Travaux - Lavori in casa e Paris, je t'aime nel 2006.

Fatema Mernissi (Fez, 1940) Moroccan writer. Professor of Sociology at the University of Rabat Mohammed and fond of Koran. She wrote many books. She is against war and terrorism. In Marocco …

Some women in Art…

Students involved in the realization of the work C.T.P. “Ignazio Buttitta” Bagheria 2008/09