International Girls' Day

Dear users and authors,
today is International Girls' Day (Wiki link ). How do you mark this day?
What does this day mean to you?
Let me know.

I’m hearing about this for the first time today and didn’t know such a day existed. I’m not a girl anymore—I used to be—but I have this vague impression that we’re currently taking a step backward. That might be a false impression; maybe we’ve really achieved a lot over the decades. Nothing has changed regarding the income gap, and when I look at today’s girls, they seem just as torn as I was back then. I’m also noticing a kind of new Biedermeier mentality around me: back to the cozy home, don’t ask for too much, don’t expect too much. Debates about women are led by men, and on the rare occasions when they’re led by women, they’re token debates about the so-called Binnen-I and other forms of gender-inclusive language.
I’d welcome dissenting opinions, because then perhaps I’m wrong in my assessment.

This passed me by completely. But I have to agree with iglinz. I’m over 40 myself now. I have a husband and kids, and at home we try to divide the work between men and women wherever possible.

In my mom’s day, it was still the case that the woman did everything at home and the man brought home the money. That said, my dad was actually very progressive, because he always helped with the housework. As long as I can remember, vacuuming was always his job.

But now I’m noticing among younger people—okay, now I really do feel ancient—around the age of 25, that many young women say of their own accord that they find fulfillment in the home and children, and that they want a man who can provide for them.
I don’t want to generalize, but in my family alone I have 3 cousins who think that way, and there are a few in my circle of friends too.
Even my husband is appalled by it.

I’d be interested to know how others see it, especially young women that age.

Well, if someone finds fulfillment “only” in household chores and family life… why not? As long as everyone’s happy, it’s okay, right? But no one should be pigeonholed into a specific gender stereotype. Just as working mothers used to be labeled “bad mothers,” nowadays a woman who wants to focus solely on household chores and family is looked down upon. Both attitudes are wrong!

@ruth, absolutely!
Everyone should be able to shape their life the way they want, and if a woman wants to be only a mother, then she should have that opportunity as well.

For heaven’s sake, I certainly didn’t want to give the impression that I look down on women who choose to focus on their homes and families. I’m a strong advocate for freedom of choice and for everyone being able to live their lives the way they want.
What bothers me more are the societal conditions that often make a life devoted exclusively to household and family a one-way ticket to poverty in old age. This is perhaps even more true in Germany than in Austria, though that could change very quickly here as well.
Fundamentally, I’m a strong advocate for every person—whether woman or man—being able to support themselves, and that’s where how women’s and men’s work is valued comes into play.