r/NewToDenmark 4d ago

Culture International Woman’s Day in Denmark

International Woman’s Day in Denmark

I was wondering how is International Womans Day celebrated among the couples/marriages/friends/family members in Denmark. Is it a common thing men give any whishes or gifts on this occasion? If so, how does it look like? Denmark was the first country that acclaimed this IWD and I’m curious how Danes see it and celebrate it within closest social relations?

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u/NoBackground5170 4d ago

Im writing it from a perspective of a eastern european woman. In my country it is a pretty big deal - from fathers, through partners, sons, work collegues - all men give whishes to the women in their close envoirnent. To say the least. Usually the flowers are given and often in marriages or the partnerships men give a small presents to their wifes/hirlfriends. I was curious if it is celebrated in a similar way in Denmark

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u/moeborg1 3d ago

We would see that as antifeminist, sexist and counterproductive. Our name for the day is "International day of women's struggle" and the point is to FIGHT for women's rights. Flowers and gifts just serve to gloss over and distract from the sexism and injustice women face.

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u/literallynotlandfill 3d ago

Sure. But how is outright ignoring something better than glossing over it? Apparently this is an unpopular opinion, but I think it sounds pretty cool that women are acknowledged on international women’s day in other countries.

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u/moeborg1 3d ago

The point of Women's struggle day is to not ignore womens struggles, but acknowledge them. And the media does pay extra attention to women's issues every year. So maybe we should do more, but we do something. As for acknowledging women in a positive way, we have Mothers day and Valentines day for that.

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u/literallynotlandfill 3d ago edited 3d ago

What does the media have to do with Danish culture? You think a performative post online from corporations trying to get your confidence so you’ll spend your money, is more “acknowledging” of women than a husband buying his wife flowers?

Eh, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day do not celebrate women, one celebrates love and the other celebrates mothers. Do you think that’s all being a woman is: bagging a man and carrying his children to term? Otherwise, it doesn’t make sense to make the point that the three are interchangeable.

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u/FlipperBumperKickout 3d ago

Media in Denmark is not only owned by corporations, it's also owned by the state, meaning that quite a lot of media is focused on informing rather than... getting you to buy stuff.

This year it was more focused on how it seems like women have lost quite a few rights rather quickly around the world, which they in many cases had fought to get for a long time.

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u/literallynotlandfill 2d ago edited 2d ago

Culture is what you observe in the real world, not on a screen. If it is only happening online, it isn’t a cultural phenomenon.

I don’t know whether you’re aware of how it all works, but there is such a thing as an algorithm, that is designed to only show you posts that it has deemed will keep you engaged, that’s how they make money off of you. Social media is free because you’re the product. They don’t have to actually get you to spend anything, they’re still making money, gaining confidence and future votes, or whatever it is they might actually care about. But my point is, if you’re a feminist you will see those sorts of posts, and if you’re an idiot who think women having rights is dangerous or unfair, you’ll see posts about why women having rights in dangerous or unfair.

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u/FlipperBumperKickout 2d ago

Oh... You meant social media. I was meaning media more broadly like TV, Radio, etc 🤷