International Women’s Day

One could ask: for how long time will we need to have an international women’s day? Well, I guess the answer is: until we have reached gender equality. Which we have not! Hence, we still need to have days when we focus on the injustices.

I am not going to dwell on this and give all kinds of examples. If you don’t see that gender injustices exist, you are not likely to be convinced by any examples.

Instead I would like to comment on the colour ‘purple’. On a website which is described as a

... global hub for sharing International Women's Day news, events and resources. 

I read this explanation why the colour purple is used for this day. It refers to the early fight that the so called suffragettes fought. They were members of women's organization (right to vote) movements in the late 19th and early 20th century, particularly in Great Britain. The web site says:

Purple symbolised justice and dignity - two values strongly associated with women's equality.

In our Church calendar purple is used during lent (the time we are in now) and it symbolizes penitence. To me it makes sense. Some of us men, however, feel unhappy about the idea that we as men are guilty for gender injustices. I agree that this can be uncalled for. If a male person is born into the patriarchal system one cannot claim that child for getting certain privileges that others give to him.

But in church we do not only repent our active sins. We also pray:

Forgive us for what we have left undone.

If we as men see gender inequalities and do not act, this is an example of things we have left undone.

That’s why I publish this blog post today and say: