Celebrating International Women’s Day Erased
Oxford University “deeply sorry”
International Women’s day this year was March 8th. As many men and women celebrated across the country one image became quickly viral over social media. This image depicts a female janitor erasing the words “Happy International Women’s Day” from the steps of the Clarendon building at Oxford University. The image first became viral after professor of political theory Sophie Smith tweeted the picture with the caption “Oxford security makes a woman cleaner scrub out ‘Happy International Women’s Day’ on the Clarendon steps. What an image for #IWD.” The image shows four men having a conversation next to the so called janitor as she scrubs away the writing that was in chalk. The image gain popularity as many saw this to be wrong. The pictured was quickly retweeted, ultimately gaining 19.1K retweets and 29.6K likes. It became so popular it is now in the top page of twitter.
Debates began happening on the comments section of this tweet after some users believed this to be minimal and in now way rude or degrading to women. User @dorbs84 commented “No, they’re just removing graffiti, which is what it is. It’s essentially vandalism isn’t it. Nothing to do with national women’s day.” While some saw this to be nothing, others were truly shaken by the image. Another user commented, “it’s an ironic and iconic image of a female having to clean away what should be a recognition and celebration on #IWD!” Debates continued on with many being against the picture and just as many others being against those that are against the image. Overall the image received a surplus amount of attention on this national day.
What is wrong with this image is the content. How everything is laid out in it. If one can take a closer look and truly analyze the picture one might say it is, in the end wrong from Oxford University to have done such thing. The weather this week for Oxford ranges in the ten degree. One can only assume March 8 was around the ten degrees as well. This means that the University sent out a female worker on a day were women are being celebrated nationally, in the freezing cold. This woman was not wearing a sweater and was asked to erase writing that was written in chalk. Many universities across the world use chalk as ways to show spirit. Writing any sorts of messages across the campus, since chalk vanishes by itself and is in no way harmful to schools. So far, there is a women out in the cold with no warmth on her, washing a message that ultimately was for her, to celebrate her when it was in no way necessary since it would of gone away over time. If you widen the image, one can see four men standing by her conversing. All these men wearing big jackets and chatting away. What upset most twitter users is the fact that these men, although aware of the women working did not bother to help. The university did not bother to send a man out to clean the message because that day was a day for women. Ignoring the fact that it was a women cleaning the message, cleaning it alone is a suppression of freedom of speech. What makes it worse is that it was on such day.
On the other side, realistically speaking, there is not much wrong with this image. This female janitor has a job to attend just as many other women had on this day. International Women’s Day does not offer the day off for all women, everyone must still attend work in order to obtain money. It is not a holiday but and international day, which is to be celebrated and stands for something important but does not mean everyone must praise it. On national dog day I do not take my dog out for treats or let her sleep in my bed. I may post a picture or two saying how much I love her but she will still sleep outside. This is not me comparing dogs to women, it is just a realistic statement that women must still work if they want to make a living, and that was exactly what that janitor was doing. The men in the picture are doing their job as well. They are security guards and they have different jobs than janitors. Sure they were not busy which is why they were chatting but ultimately it is not they’re job to wash things away, and anyone can agree they do not usually do the jobs they do not have to.
Many of the users who agreed with the idea that there is nothing wrong with the image tend to be male. These are the men who think any women speaking up about being wrongfully treated is just “on their period” or a “bitchy feminist.” This is why events as such anger women, because they have constantly been put down for wanting the respect they deserve. They become offended by men’s words arguing that they are being over dramatic for wanting more for themselves and their fellow sisters. Lucinda Joy Peach expressed this concern in her writing “Is Violence Male? The Law, Gender, and Violence” from the book “Frontline Feminisms,” in which she states,
“Asserting their position, following many years of sacrifice and struggle, women have realized that they have not made many social and political gains and are doubly burdened, not by new political and economic responsibilities and by the traditional view that they should be subservient to men. Thus the Intifada has brought about basic changes in the way women themselves view their role in the political movement. Dear sisters, what we need and are calling for is a just peace, respect as human beings, and freedom” (58–72).
The University apologized immediately replying to the professor the following, “We are deeply sorry for this and for offense caused. International Women’s Day is hugely important to Oxford. This should not have happened.” With this apology putting the issue at ease, although users are still commenting their personal opinions on the events. Regardless, International Women’s Day this year was a success, with women all around the country celebrating and honoring each other. Regardless of events like this at Oxford still occurring, women across time have made immense improvements in society and have accomplished the impossible, and for this we celebrate them.
