Home / Trending / October 24 – Remembering “Women's Day Off” in Iceland!

October 24 – Remembering “Women's Day Off” in Iceland!

nPostednOctober 24, 2016

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nTodaynis the anniversary of a huge nation-wide strike – but in thenrelatively not-very-wide nation of Iceland. On this date in 1975,nabout 90% of all the women in the nation took part in a strike –nwhich means that they refused to work. Or cook. Or do housework. Orntake care of children. Instead, they joined almost all the othernwomen in the country, in the streets, in a gigantic nationwidenprotest for equal rights.

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nWomenngenerally comprise a bit more than half of the population of anyngiven region or nation. They are as important as men, and they shouldnbe acknowledged as such.

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nButnit wasn’t until the gigantic Women’s Day Off strike that many mennrealized just how important women are to society. n

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nManynbanks, factories, and shops had to close.

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nSchoolsnand nurseries had to close.

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nManynfathers couldn’t do anything other than take their children to work,nand there were excited crowds of kids in many offices and othernworkplaces. Some of the men had to take time away from their usualnjobs to deal with the kids – and they found themselves trying tonbribe the kids with easy-to-cook meals of sausage or with sweets andntreats. So much so that sausages sold out partway through the day!

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nWhennpeople listened to the news, to find out what was happening in otherncorners of Iceland, they often heard the noises of children at thenradio station! And they found out that the Women’s Day Off strike hadna humungous turnout!

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nFivenyears later, a woman named Vigdis Finnbogadottir won the presidencynof Iceland. She was not just Iceland’s first female president, butnthe first in all of Europe. And she was the first woman in the entire world to be elected as the head of state in a democratic election!  

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nAnd Vigdis Finnbogadottir held the position as president for 16 years.nIceland has since been called the world’s most feminist country!

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nAlsonon this date:

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nAnniversary of Mars Odyssey achieving orbit


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nIndependencenDay in Zambia

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nSueznDay in Egypt

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nUnitednNations Day

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nAnniversarynof the discovery of Ariel and Umbriel

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nPlannahead:

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nChecknout my Pinterest boards for:

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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:
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  • nNovembern holidays

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  • nNovembern birthdays

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  • nHistoricaln anniversaries in November

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See also  September 18 – National Ceiling Fan Day
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