I was born in Moscow, Russia where International Women’s Day is a big deal, everyone gets flowers and there are huge celebrations. Just recently I have noticed it become more of a “thing” in America, and it is extra special for me because seven years ago my beautiful daughter was born.
She is a force of nature, not only beautiful on the outside, but a heart full of gold and so much love to give. Everybody feels her energy, and she is also very intelligent and creative, I know she will inspire and motivate everyone she meets.
Today there is a women’s march, and I have been reading some thoughts from friends and I want to share them. This march does not represent me because they clearly are anti-Israel, which makes no sense, because it has nothing to do with women, except for one of the organizers, who is a well known terrorist, who has planted a bomb and killed students, http://legalinsurrection.com/2017/03/on-march-8-remember-victims-of-daywithoutawoman-co-organizer-rasmea-odeh-daywithoutedwardandleon/.
For everybody marching that I know and is expressing themselves, and it empowers them,
I wish you success and seeds for change in the world,
My daughter and I will stand strong in who we are and be an example of women’s rights, dreams, and possibilities,
Coach Yulia
Afshine Emrani
#InternationalWomensDay Today, some march with their feet, and I at my keyboard. As I see women march, I remember the women I see in my practice for an abnormal ECG because the test was developed on men, and it took some time for us to realize that women must also be studies in medicine. I think of all the women who suffered for years to have a baby, put their bodies through medical torture and were still unsuccessful. I think of the young women who died of breast cancer never given a chance at marriage. I think of victims of domestic violence. I think of all the women who struggle with their weight on a daily basis because our society tells them to. I think of the thirteen year old Israeli girl stabbed to death by a Palestinian terrorist in her sleep. I think of the young beautiful Iranian engineer who resisted wearing a hijab and was thrown in jail and raped many times, only to commit suicide after she was released. I think of bring back our girls and Boko Haram. I think of the limits placed on the number of children you are allowed to have in China and how young mothers throw their newborn daughters in the garbage because they want that single child to be a boy. I recall how my grandmother, bless her soul, wanted to hug and kiss the Torah but was not allowed to because she was a woman. I think of the women in Saudi who are not allowed to drive. I think of Shakespeare’s sister. And I think of all the women marching today, and I say God Bless America because they can and because they have a voice and because women in USA have it better than anywhere else in the world. And I think of the world in which I’m raising my daughters and all the possibilities I want for them and how despite all of our challenges I would not want them to live anywhere else but in this great land of opportunity. And I think of how ultimately the measure of a society hangs in how it treats and empowers it’s women. Women not only give birth to the next generation, but also hold the key to peace and to salvation. God bless our women. There should be no day without women.
Janine Joy
I’m not participating in this day without a woman. I’ll be working and seeing clients and doing all the things I usually do. Something about this idea bothers me, maybe because they’re many women who can’t afford to take the day off and also because these feminist acts rarely include women who look like me. Ever since I heard a White woman say Black people need to be grateful and thankful because of all the stuff feminism has done for us, I’ve had many issues with this type of feminism. I’m a Black woman and until all of us, Black, Latino, Asian, Native American, Transgender and ever other woman is truly included I do not participate in these events. Racquel Mallett Jones
Pop Chassid
“But my prime concern is not that people hold this view of Israel. Rather, I find it troubling that embracing such a view is considered an essential part of an event that is supposed to unite feminists.
I am happy to debate Middle East politics or listen to critiques of Israeli policies. But why should criticism of Israel be key to feminism in 2017?”
