Utah's Republican lieutenant governor glorifies roots of Communist Revolution for International Women's Day

Utah's Republican Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson shared a post glorifying events the that led to the Communist Revolution in Russia to celebrate International Women's Day on Friday.  

In the post on her personal X account, Henderson wrote, "In 1917, tens of thousands of Russian women gathered in Petrograd (Saint Petersburg) to protest terrible working conditions and the high price of bread." 

"A few days later, Tsar Nicholas II abdicated his throne and Russia was in full Revolution. #InternationalWomensDay," she added. 

The Guardian has also written a piece about the women's march on March 8, 1917 that "sparked the Russian Revolution."

"Feed the children of the defenders of the motherland," read a slogan on some banners. Another read, "Supplement the ration of soldiers’ families, defenders of freedom and the people’s peace."

This sparked more unrest leading into November 1917, when Bolshevik revolutionaries led by Vladimir Lenin plotted to overthrow the government in Russia. Nicholas II abdicated his throne due to the massive civil unrest and was later executed by the Bolsheviks in 1918 after being captured and imprisoned. In recognition of the women's march, Lenin declared the day a Soviet holiday. Communists in Spain as well as China also adopted March 8 as International Women's Day.

The Guardian added that "the revolution was begun by women, not male workers." 

Many people reacted negatively to the post glorifying the root of a revolution that would lead to millions of deaths in Russia as well as in other countries that adopted the ideology. 

James Lindsay, who has been a critic the more moderate Republicans in Utah before, responded to Henderson. “Communist Utah,” he said.

Phil Lyman, a more conservative candidate running against Gov. Cox in Utah, posted a picture of Stalin underneath to poke fun at Henderson's statement.  

Henderson's official X account, associated with the Utah government, posted a more vanilla message to celebrate International Women's Day.