Note from BW of Brazil: The piece below about today, March 8th, International Woman’s Day, reminds me of old phrase: the truth hurts! In truth, there are millions of women (and men) who are recognizing the special history of women, which in its intent, isn’t all bad. But within recognition of this day, we must also reflect upon what type of women this day was really established for (in 2014, the department store Riachuelo made this quite clear). For in the same way that it is a sham for black people of any western country to celebrate their respective country’s independence day when, most likely, their ancestors were still enslaved on the day in which freedom was to be celebrated. In this respect, we ask, in what situation did the black woman find herself when March 8th was established as International Women’s Day?
This piece circulated around a few social networks yesterday and while we ALWAYS give credit to writers of this blog’s material, unfortunately, the writer remains unknown.
8 de março, dia internacional da mulher BRANCA – March 8th, International WHITE Woman’s Day
Author unknown
They say that March 8th of 1857, a date that marks the so-called International Woman’s Day, a group of workers went on strike in New York and, to sum up the drama, they suffered repressions and some died.
It happens that on the 8th of March, 1857, I was still enslaved. (Just to remind you, abolition in the US was in 1863 and in Brazil in 1888). This means that our sisters were being sold like a piece of something. Probably slaves of the families of many of these super revolutionary striking white women.
As I always say, mulheres brancas (white women) have their problems, but none are more serious than ours: we have an entire people to resurrect in absolutely EVERY aspect. They speak so much of emancipation, they can solve their problems alone, right? They are already grown.
Because of this, I’ve already previously advised: don’t give me a feliz dia da mulher (happy Woman’s Day) tomorrow (today) if not I’m going to think that you are inappropriate and don’t know your history (in some moments it’s necessary to speak really hard but this harshness has effect). My day is July 31st, Dia da Mulher Africana (African Woman’s Day).
In memory of all those that perished, the least that we can do is know and honor our history, not falling for any European and Euro-descendant lie. Our main reference, primordial and first, is and should be Africa, in the continent or in the Diaspora. We owe this and for whoever lost life for us to be here today.
I appreciate this excerpt… a powerful piece.