On March 8, 2024, International Working Women’s Day (IWWD) was celebrated in the United States, Canada, and around the world with marches, rallies, teach-ins, cultural performances, and more. This revolutionary holiday, celebrated annually by revolutionaries across the world for well over a century, is an important occasion to raise up the call to mobilize women as a force for working class revolution.

Seattle, Washington

In Seattle, Washington, a march commemorating IWWD was held in a working class neighborhood. This march was hosted by the Issaquah & Bellevue RSU chapters, and they were joined by the Puget Sound Revolutionary Study Group (RSG).

The demonstrators took the street and distributed dozens of IWWD-themed zines and RSU fliers to locals, who were overall very receptive to the march. Residents approached the marchers and thanked them for hosting this march in their neighborhood, and working mothers warmly received IWWD zines from us. Marchers shouted “Hear the revolution’s cry! Women hold up half the sky!”. The crowd sang Luchadoras de la Revolución (Fighters of the Revolution), a song from the Peru People’s Women’s Movement (MFP). Marchers hoisted red flags to represent the blood of the working class that has been spilt in the class struggle against the exploiting capitalist class. Palestinian flags were also flown to show solidarity with the Palestinian resistance’s brave struggle against the genocidal Zionist entity.

Marchers held signs of eight revolutionary women(L-R): Clara Zetkin and Alexandra Kollontai (the two main founders of IWWD), Rosa Luxemburg, a German revolutionary who was martyred in the struggle for revolution; Anna Louise Strong, a local Seattle based socialist who helped lead the Seattle General Strike in 1919 and wrote numerous books about socialism in the USSR & Mao era China; Jiang Qing, a Chinese socialist who spearheaded the charge against phony socialism during China’s cultural revolution; Comrade Norah, a Peruvian socialist who led the first action in the Peruvian People’s War (revolution) along with founding the (MFP) Peru and Red Aid; Anuradha Ghandy, an Indian socialist who founded Revolutionary Adivasi Women’s Organization, India’s largest women’s organization, and who wrote numerous documents about the women’s struggle and how feminism relates to it; and finally a sign with Leila Khaled, a Palestinian resistance fighter famous for hijacking planes to garner international attention to the Palestinian struggle without the death of a single passenger.

Speeches were given at the beginning and end of the march highlighting the unique double oppression women face as workers and women. They also pointed out the true source of patriarchy: exploitative class societies, like capitalism which maintain it. Along with the commodification of women’s bodies by capitalists, who manipulate beauty standards to make more profit. The march encountered no police repression however, reactionaries did attempt to disrupt the march, all attempts at stopping the march failed.

Eugene, Oregon

Members of the Portland chapter of RSU attended a march for IWWD held in Eugene, this march was hosted by the Eugene Revolutionary Women’s Committee. Marchers took the streets and chanted revolutionary slogans, despite attempted police harassment.

Charlotte, North Carolina

Revolutionary Student Front at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte (RSF-UNCC) co-hosted an IWWD event with Charlotte Revolutionary Study Group.

Speeches were given about women’s oppression and how the only solution for women’s oppression is socialist revolution. Tables showcased revolutionary women martyrs, activities with trivia about revolutionary women, educational information about Rosa Luxemburg, Clara Zetkin, Jiang Qing, Comrade Norah and Anuradha Ghandy.

A red banner draped with the slogan “Unleash the Fury of Working Women” was draped behind the speakers stage.

New York City, New York

Activists from New York Revolutionary Youth and Central New York RSU were joined by Right to Rebel NYC (another activist organization) to celebrate IWWD with speeches and educational material in a public park.

Attendees can be seen with signs hosting portraits of revolutionary women such as Sandra Lima from the MFP – Brazil. Sandra Lima was a remarkable revolutionary leader, she helped organize literacy classes and cultural activities for proletarian youth, helped construct a health clinic in her city (Belo Horizonte), aided striking construction workers in August of 1979, and she helped found and lead the MFP – Brazil in 2000. Frida Kahlo, famous Mexican artist and unknown socialist can also be seen. Nadezhda Krupskaya’s portrait, Soviet deputy education commissar and member of the party’s central committee can be seen as well. Claudia Jones, a Black American socialist is being held up to the left of Leila Khaled, Jones was instrumental in analyzing the oppression Black women face as workers, women and as Black people.

New York Police Department (NYPD) circled around the celebration numerous times, in an obvious failed attempt to intimidate the participants.

Other Cities

Houston, Texas – RSU hosted their first meeting on IWWD, it covered the history of IWWD and the root of women’s oppression and how it can be solved.

Mississauga, Toronto – RSU chapter hosted a virtual teach-in on the origins of IWWD.

Davis, California – RSU chapter is hosting a meeting covering Proletarian feminism on the 14th of March.

For a Proletarian Women’s Movement!

Unleash the Fury of Women as a Mighty Force for Proletarian Revolution!

LONG LIVE INTERNATIONAL WORKING WOMEN’S DAY!