From various blogs and the Socialist Worker we learn how not to celebrate International Women’s Day. Lecturer Cherry Hopton was suspended from her post at Angus College in Scotland for objecting to a piece of appalling kitsch planned at the college to ‘commemorate’ yesterday's International Women’s Day. The college decided to celebrate IWD by giving all the women a red rose by a ‘man in a grey suit’ because, as the posters initially stated, ‘all women love a bit of romance.’ It's really not that easy, guys (surely only men whose most expansively seductive gesture involves the all-night gas station florist could have come up with this dreadful schlock?). Cherry protested, and consequently was asked to attend a "private" meeting with the Head of Human Resources. When she asked what the meeting was to be about and requested that she be accompanied by a union official, she was suspended without so much as a dandelion being proffered. I wonder what these cheesy autocrats think International Women's Day is supposed to be about?
When your stomach stops churning, you could consider signing this petition in support of Cherry and her employment rights. Or maybe send the Head of HR a nettle. Your call.
And while you're in the petition mood, child benefit, one of the major achievements of feminism, is currently under threat in the UK and in need of support.
The first link is to Nick Lowe's "Stoplight Roses".
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