The Red Stocking Movement – Iceland’s Feminist Revolution of the 1970s
The Red Stocking Movement began on May 1, 1970, when a group of women wearing bright red stockings marched in Reykjavík’s Labor Day parade. They carried a large statue of Venus — borrowed from Lysistrata, the ancient play about women refusing to submit to male power — and demanded change.
These women had had enough. Enough of unequal pay, of shouldering the entire burden of childcare and housework, of men doing nothing at home, of too few childcare facilities, unwanted pregnancies, and deep-rooted misogyny.
Out of that frustration grew a spontaneous feminist uprising — a movement that burst into Icelandic society with unstoppable energy. Inspired by similar movements abroad, the Red Stockings saw themselves as part of a global wave of women demanding equality.
When the United Nations declared 1975 the International Women’s Year, the Red Stockings were at the forefront of Iceland’s organizing efforts. They hosted major events, including a Low-Wage Conference and a Childcare Conference, and pushed parliament to legalize abortion — a demand that was finally met that same year. They also published their own radical magazine, Forvitin rauð (“Curiously Red”).
But the defining moment came on October 24, 1975, when the Red Stockings’ idea for a Women’s Day Off became a reality. On that historic day, 90% of Icelandic women — from all walks of life — stopped working, both at home and in the workplace, to demonstrate the importance of their labor. The country came to a standstill. It was a world-shaking act of solidarity that drew global attention and inspired countless others.
The Women’s Day Off sparked a profound awakening in Icelandic society. Women began to see — and demand — their true value. Though legal and structural reforms came slowly, equality laws were passed in 1976, marking an official commitment to gender equality in the workplace.
The Red Stockings changed more than laws — they changed minds. They taught that justice can be joyful, that humor is a tool of protest, and that creativity can carry a revolution. Their legendary performances — such as The Exhausted Housewife and the protest where they brought a cow named Perla to mock a beauty pageant — captured attention and imagination alike.
Through laughter, art, and defiance, the Red Stockings gave Icelandic women a new sense of freedom and collective power. Their movement paved the way for every feminist and equality campaign that followed — and their spirit still echoes through Iceland’s streets today.