PHILOLOGY ASSOCIATION PARNASSOS – Anniversary note
International Women's Day is celebrated on March 8 every year. It is an internationally recognized official holiday, established by the United Nations in memory of the women who lost their lives in the seamstress strike in New York in 1908. They were then fighting for their rights, shorter working hours, better pay, the right to vote and an end to child labour. The first official day was celebrated on February 8, 1909. After women had won the right to vote in the Soviet Union in 1917, the 8η March was established as a national holiday there. The date of March 8 was established after the First World War, and was recognized by the United Nations as International Women's Day in 1975.
Our country has passed into the consciousness of the peoples as the homeland of Letters, Arts and Philosophy since the classical times. It is no coincidence that they were all based on the philosophical thought of the ancient Greek philosophers Plato, Aristotle and many others.
But it is important, and not widely known, that apart from the male philosophers, there were quite a few women philosophers in ancient Greece, most of whom remained in obscurity due to the mentality and conditions of their time. It is worth mentioning on the occasion of the anniversary of International Women's Day, to them, first of all Hypatia, the most well-known to the general public.
Hypatia was a Neoplatonic philosopher of 4th A.D. century and astronomer also known by the nickname "Geometriki". She was born in Alexandria, where after her studies in Athens and Italy, she took over the Platonist School of Alexandria, where she taught. She was a victim of violent situations between the Christians and their ethnic opponents, but she remained faithful to the ancient Greek traditions, searching for the truth through astronomy, mathematics and ancient myths, offering even her life on the altar of research.
But before Hypatia, they existed from 6ο until 3ο e.g. century of ancient Greek Philosophy, many women scientists, philosophers, mathematicians, physicists, to whom I will refer epigrammatically.
Η Cyrene is virtuous taught Philosophy at the school of Attica to more than 100 philosophers. Diotima, who in addition to being a philosopher was also a priestess (Diotima is the woman who honors Zeus), is mentioned by Plato in his Symposium, as a teacher of Socrates. THE Theano Thuria or Crotoniatida mathematician and astronomer H Illness, philosopher and physicist, who when she settled in Athens, where the law concerning foreign women obliged her to find a patron, she did not accept it and wore men's clothes so that she could attend Plato's lessons, and Reign of the Cynics, member of the School of Cynics. THE Aglaoniki she was the chronologically first female astronomer of Ancient Greece, h Passion had the status of Arithmetic-Accounting teacher, h A sight to behold taught Mathematics and Physics, and Ignorance she was the first gynecologist on 4ο e.g. century, who dressed as a man to attend gynecology classes. Periktioni, mother of the great philosopher Plato, she was also a philosopher and the author, according to Diogenes Laertius, of two important works "On female harmony" and On wisdom".
In the book "Women who distinguished themselves in the Natural Sciences in Ancient Greece", A. Pallada, Ph.D. in Physics at the University of France, notes that several characteristics of the women mentioned are still valid today: they were active in geographical locations of the Mediterranean Basin, in prosperous urban centers with a high cultural and educational level, they came from scientific families with a position in the local society, they were dynamic and intelligent, they fought with will and passion for their subject and managed to be accepted by the male-dominated environment of their time.
Besides, as the mathematician E. Spandagos observes in his research, Mathematics had the scent of a woman in ancient Greece (Ypatia, Aithra, Lastenia) and other, approximately 40, unknown ancient Greek women, who were forgotten by History. This phenomenon is due, in his opinion, and in the destruction of various historical testimonies and especially the Library of Alexandria.
It is noteworthy that only the women who belonged to the Pythagorean School did not face problems, because Pythagoras accepted women in his school. In ancient societies, however, the "educated woman" was treated as different and corrupt, because she escaped the classic image of housewife, wife and mother.
This phenomenon, unfortunately, continued in late Greece as well. Characteristic are the episodes due to the admission of the first Greek women to the University. In 1884, Sevasti Kallisperi applied to take exams at the Faculty of Philosophy. The professors were upset, because she was the first student, but finally they allowed it. Sevasti passed the exams, but the Ministry of Education refused to validate her enrollment because of her gender. In 1890, the School of Philosophy received its first student, Ioanna Stephanopoulou or Stephanopoli, despite the Rector's protest to the Ministry "due to the mixing of the sexes". Female students in Medicine and other Schools followed, and they too faced similar reactions.
The Philological Association of Parnassos, the oldest cultural Association of our country, did not allow the registration of women as regular members until 2022. That very year, the Ephorate of the Association unanimously made the historic decision to admit women, as regular members, to Parnassos . Society evolves, and women are valued, as they deserve.
In this anniversary note, I feel the need to also refer to the "quota", which prevails in our society. The quota is, I believe, disrespectful to women fighting for equal rights. They are not disabled citizens in the 21st centuryο century we are going through! Let's consider what women have achieved since the 50s, when their civil rights were voted, until today. Indicative of their progress is the announcement by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, on the 11η February 2023, for the International Day dedicated to Women and Girls in Science, pointing out a simple "equation" himself: more women and girls in Science equals better Science.
Women provide new perspectives in Science and Technology for the benefit of all. And it is no coincidence that, after my reference to the ancient Greek women, that a Greek woman, Diana Voutirakou, is a protagonist in Robotics, and has founded a non-governmental organization that deals with the academic guidance of students.
International Women's Day honors the struggles of unknown women, who with their courage and determination made history for their gender. Our great tragic poet Euripides, misunderstood as a misogynist, who psychographed the woman in the best way, believed that: on the one hand, there is nothing worse than a bad woman, and no other higher value good has been created than a good one.
Ohm. professor Stella Priovolou, president of the Body of Emeritus Professors EKPA, dean of the Municipal People's University of Ag. Friday.
photo https://www.alfavita.gr/
