How to best celebrate March 8?
When I was a teenager, in Rome, Women's Day meant marching in the street singing about female power. We bought ourselves mimosa flowers. Then, on the way home, we stopped by the bookstore to get the free book and 50% discount especially reserved to us. March 8 was political.
In my twenties, there weren't protest marches to go to anymore. Just the bookstore. And the florist. March 8 became more of an annual special treat.
In my thirties the bookstores were in a too big crisis to offer any discount to anyone, let alone a free book. March 8 was just like any other day, but with yellow flowers.
When I moved to Hong Kong there were no mimosas anymore. And for many years I struggled to find any substantial way to celebrate Women's Day. I mean something that didn't involve bras sale or a brow bar. March 8 was about wellness. So, in my opinion, about contemplating one's navel and spending more money than usual on body insecurity.
This year I am pleased to notice a huge shift in Hong Kong: spread all over the weekend, so many initiatives celebrating female artists, filmmakers, environmentalist, adventurers and entrepreneurs. March 8 can be the day we focus on women's contribution to the world.
Great. Now I just need to choose the right event. It's going to be one of those. Definitely.
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That, or the primal ritual brilliantly exposed by Rachel Bloom on Crazy Ex Girlfriend. Just for the anthropological interest, of course :)