Ukrainians recognize communism and have largely dethorned the holiday, turning it instead into a celebration of family. Now feminists want to turn back the clock to Soviet times.
Around a thousand people marched through Kiev on Wednesday, International Women’s Day, calling for a return to the original feminist meaning of a holiday now largely associated with flowers and gifts. March 8 was celebrated in the Soviet Union and is still one of the most widely marked holidays in Ukraine, but activists say the emphasis on flowers and compliments to women runs counter to the concept of gender equality.
