Saturday, March 7, 2009

International Women's Day

People in Beijing are wishing the fairer sex a "Happy International Women's Day" today.

But how exactly are you supposed to mark the occasion?

One female colleague suggested women "should buy delicious food and eat it all up," while a male one said, "Let your hair down."

Malls are using the opportunity to promote sales in the stores with discounts to buoy the sagging economy, and I've seen a few girls getting bouquets from boyfriends.

Most patronizing was Foreign Minster Yang Jiechi yesterday during a press conference on the sidelines of the National People's Congress (NPC) and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

During his closing remarks, he said that he wished all the female journalists a happy international women's day and that during the two hour session he had tried to give more opportunities to the female journalists to ask him questions.

Why should it matter who asks him the questions?

The whole point is equality, not special treatment.

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