Today is International Women’s Day . . . or . . . San Ba . . . the international event was first celebrated in 1909 in the United States and spread worldwide soon after. Coincidentally, the date March 8 is also a slang expression in Chinese for a gossip or sometimes “crazy” woman. It’s kind of an in-joke in Taiwan that Women’s Day is celebrated on a date that is pronounced as an insult to women . . . so on the day we celebrate women, we’re also humorously reminded of a derogatory expression.

When I first came to Taiwan back in 1989, the holiday was taken more seriously. Women used to get the day off but over the years the government has cut back on a number of holidays and this is one that has become more footnote than actually practiced.

In any case, Happy International Women’s Day . . . remember though, you can call the date San Ba but I would not recommend calling any women you know sanba.

All the best,
Brian

Here’s an episode of Sexy Beijing (a sort of kind of attempt at a Sex in the City parody newsie presentation) on the subject: