Man’s Day or Defender’s Day: why there was a scandal at a party in Krasnoyarsk

A holiday needs status

“In Krasnoyarsk, the LGBT bar not only did not close, but also held a provocative party on Defender of the Fatherland Day. We will contact the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs regarding this situation,” wrote the head of the Safe Internet League, Ekaterina Mizulina, in her Telegram channel and later posted a fragment of a video of the Ministry of Internal Affairs inspecting an entertainment establishment. Let’s make a reservation right away: the LGBT movement is recognized as an extremist organization, its activities are prohibited in Russia. It’s strange that Mizulina didn’t mention this in her Telegram channel.

Another quote: “12 people were detained and taken to the police station. An investigation is being carried out against the owner of the club for a provocative party, as well as illegal sale of alcoholic and prohibited substances,” Mizulina reported.

As for the status of the bar, you can’t tell anything about the visitors. The guests are a boy and a girl in ordinary office and street clothes. Not even the notorious metropolitan “naked party”.

As for the fragment of the program where a vulgarly made-up singer in a women’s tunic with a necklace on her chest is captured, rudely singing “Dark-skinned Moldovan” – yes, there are questions. And moral, and aesthetic, and moral order.

As for “prohibited substances,” this is a matter for investigation and trial.

But I would like to talk about something else. The fact that the party aroused Mizulina’s anger also because it took place on February 23rd. Where does this accent come from? Or is it possible for the same singer in the same role with the same song to perform on February 24? Or will illicit substances become not so illicit on February 25th?

And here there is a reason and a need to talk specifically about the status of the Defender of the Fatherland Day holiday. Not about the official status – everything is clear and understandable with him. And about how he is perceived in society. For May 9, both the official status and the people’s perception are the same, and only a completely crazy person or a complete provocateur would think of acting out on this day. Even on stage. Even in a bar. And on February 23, something similar happened. Why?

For a very long time in the life of society, February 23 had the role of a certain general men’s day – an alternative to Women’s Day. And all the jokes like: “As you meet the 23rd, so will you spend the 8th of March”, “As the 23rd comes around, so will it respond on the 8th” – they come from here. And the irony about the unchanged men’s socks awarded on February 23, and the answer to this – the same eternal three tulips on March 8, and lamentation: we have 30 boys and three girls in our group, what to do!? – they also give the holiday a lightweight flavor, equating it with International Women’s Day. That is, they are depriving the main thing – the militarized background. But if those girls who are congratulated at school on March 8, yes, will definitely grow up to be women, then not all the same boys congratulated year after year on February 23 will become defenders of the Fatherland. But the defenders – only them! — we don’t congratulate you separately. And they don’t have their own day.

And yet there is not yet another day – which everyone is waiting for – Victory Day in the Northern Military District. And it is this day that I would like to see as the real Defender of the Fatherland Day. And it is on this day that all those who have given their debt to the Motherland – on its borders, on its military bridgeheads, on the front lines – will be worthily congratulated.

And then February 23 can be left simply as Defender’s Day – and still congratulate on this day classmates, sons, brothers, husbands, fathers and simply loved ones on the fact that they are nearby, that they defend their family, their principles, their position, and their native spaces, and the women dear to them. And simply congratulate them on the fact that they are in the lives of their loved ones. That is, exactly the way women are congratulated on March 8th.

And then parties on this day will not look blasphemous.