HUELGA, women in Spain strike on International Women's day

Today is International Women’s Day where in Spain women across the country are striking for our rights, the right to equal pay, to equal opportunities, to freedom from violence and harassment,  to equal sharing of childcare and domestic tasks. It is inspiring to see such solidarity from young to old, with the support of men who recognise that it is in all our interests that women’s rights are recognised.


‘HUELGA’ – INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY


Black iron curls like eyelashes
adorning railings once designed
to keep the raider out and
the hidden women in.

Now we claim the streets,
our rightful place beside
the suits and overalls,
from factories to boardrooms.

Progress made but not enough,
still we fight for equal rights,
still work more, earn less,
still fear more than men.

Today our labour is withdrawn,
women absent from their posts,
journalists silent, cleaners at rest,
shops unmanned, Town Hall closed.

‘Huelga’ fuelled as patience fades,
women march, ‘me too’ translated,
kitchens empty as discarded aprons
tied on iron waists, flutter in protest.




© 2018 Jacqueline Claire Knight.  All rights reserved. 


Comments

  1. Unknown9 March 2018 at 06:03

    Lovely, powerful, and inspiring from a neighbor in France. Thanks and happy IWD.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jane Dougherty8 March 2021 at 03:11

    What we should be campaigning for! More power to the women of Spain. Another French neighbour, still waiting for our women's movement to get its head out of its arse.

    ReplyDelete

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