I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to do on International Women’s Day that I don’t do everyday. Think about how awesome it is to be a lady? Check. Think about how the rest of the world still treats ladies like shit? Check. Think about how here in the U.S. we still treat ladies like shit? Check. Think about the kind of world I want my hypothetical children to grow up in and how much work we have to do to get from here to there? Check. Sigh.
I don’t really feel like celebrating or writing; the very existence of International Women’s Day kind of makes me sad. Really? We’re still stuck at this point? We still need this? It just seems to make it so obvious that the other 364 days are International Men’s Days. I suppose it’s worth calling attention to that inequality, of course, it just makes me feel tired.
So, in honor of this holiday that I wish weren’t a holiday, here is a collection of things that I like, find powerful, find moving, find tragic. Creating art about “the female experience” (more accurately, about the range of female experiences) is one of the many tools we have at our disposal to tell our stories and remind everyone just what a long way we have to go.
- An illustrated account of the attempted murder and miraculous recovery of 15-year-old Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai (by artist Gavin Aung Than).
- Katie Makkai’s excellent poetry slam, “Pretty”:
- The beautiful anti-street harassment art of Tatyana Fazlalizadeh:
- The remake of Leslie Gore’s 1964 hit “You Don’t Own Me,” with the lipsync help of some new favorites.
- This comic from Tatsuya Ishida, hosted on Sinfest:
Is there any art or writing that you want to share this International Women’s Day? Anything that rings familiar, makes you proud, feels enlightening? Post in the comments!
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Reblogged this on Stay Sane Mommies and commented:
Well said!!
You know what always makes me feel better on women’s days that shouldn’t even have to exist? Words of wisdom from the lovely and amazing grrrls of Act Like a Grrrl. In this post, they share a few pointed thoughts on the utter mind f*** that is female beauty: http://wp.me/r17u
Reblogged this on Ish Ism.
Just wanted to say thank you.
This is by no means a lazy post! Thank you so much for all these links. I feel even prouder to be female!