International Women’s Day
I was introduced to International Women’s Day, in a real way, while living in St. Petersburg, Russia. It was a day of small luxuries and good company, laughter and fun. After returning to Canada we continued to celebrate the day in small ways. Each year IWD gains a little more prominence in North American culture, from Dove to PayPal, capitalizing on another opportunity to market their brand in swathes of purple.
In 2021, I will not be celebrating with friends. COVID restrictions remain in place and the thought of another zoom chat overwhelms me. I am exhausted this year. Exhausted from the emotional labour of ‘keeping things normal’ when life is anything from. I am exhausted from the monotony of working, teaching, studying, socializing, simply existing within the same 1000 sq. feet with 3 other people and I am exhausted from the gratitude I feel obliged to muster each day for how well we are able to weather this storm; for jobs that stayed, the health and healing of loved ones, the security that comes from privilege.
Today I will not celebrate. Today I will take a few minutes to share and support all those women who are also exhausted: the 50,000 Hotel Workers laid off during COVID, the Haitian asylum seekers providing health care, the parents juggling work/ childcare from home and all the other women impacted by COVID who need a rest. I wish you all “Feel Good” soon.
-w