Mother, breadwinner, fighter: how patriarchal stereotypes about women were broken in Russia

Congratulating women on March 8 in different years, Vladimir Putin more than once used the definition “incomprehensible” in relation to women’s talent to do everything, achieving success in work, career heights, family well-being and at the same time remaining a model of femininity, bringing goodness and beauty into this world, light and hope. In addition, the president spoke with particular warmth and respect about the women who serve in the ranks of the Russian Armed Forces, and thanked them for their loyalty to the Fatherland.

Against this background, the opinions of individual TV chatterers demanding archaic patriarchy look like manifestations of opposition, and their firm “women should” makes one want to ask, in the style of Leonid Filatov: “Did they borrow?” Everyone who appeals to traditions should be reminded that tradition is a process of social inheritance, it is the transfer from generation to generation of social and cultural heritage, the transfer of socio-historical experience and the most successful practices.

So what traditions, what experience of past generations are modern women adopting? A quiet housewife is not our tradition, “Kinder, Kirche, Küche” – children, church, kitchen – these are European values, the dream of a conservative burgher. In Rus’, from time immemorial, women – starting with Princess Olga – became rulers, where can we limit their capabilities to the “three Ks”.

Let’s take a look at the traditions of the recent Soviet times. Perhaps they are best illustrated by a wandering anecdotal story about an academician whose arrival was expected at the sanatorium. And sure enough, an elegant gray-haired man of advanced years arrived in a sparkling Chaika, and with him a small, inconspicuous, quiet old woman, his caring and attentive wife. When some lively resort woman decided to take an elderly handsome man away from her family, seduced by the academician’s salary and position, his wife cooled the fidgety ardor: “Darling, he is an old man who needs constant care, and the academician is me.”

Yes, indeed, patriarchal stereotypes were smashed to dust by the achievements of Soviet women scientists. Every time we fill up our car with high-octane gasoline, when we turn on a fluorescent lamp, buy good old penicillin at the pharmacy or a can of canned food at the supermarket, we can remember the wonderful women who made scientific contributions to these now familiar products.

Women academicians, women cosmonauts, women heads of major enterprises were not uncommon in those days, and this is the experience that is passed on as a tradition. This tradition originated in the 30s of the last century, when with the beginning of the industrialization of industry, as today, there was a shortage of workers. Instead of the German “three Ks”, women were offered literacy, technical education and work on an equal basis with men.

This counter-traditionalist tradition is still strong today. Women not only successfully find jobs, but also make careers. International studies show that in the BRICS countries women are much more likely to occupy leadership positions than the global average or even the average for developed countries, the so-called G7 group. Russia generally leads in the share of female managers.

According to the Federal Tax Service, 40% of small and medium-sized business owners in Russia are women, and among sellers on marketplaces, more than half are women—53%. Analysts have found that most often in Russian families both men and women contribute almost equally to the family budget. Only in 16% of cases does a man become the breadwinner. But in 10% of families the breadwinner is the woman.

Perhaps patriarchal obedience and uncontested devotion exclusively to the family can be found in tsarist times? But that time gives us examples of a different kind.

On September 7, 1854, a 17-year-old girl sold her property, bought a nag, a cart, and a barrel with the proceeds and followed the Russian army to the Alma River, where the next day the first bloody battle took place with the British, Turks and French who had landed in the Crimea. Later, the girl will become one of the living symbols of the defense of Sevastopol. Dasha Sevastopolskaya went through the entire war as a nurse of mercy. When Alexander II established the silver medal “Crimea 1854–1855–1856,” one copy—the medal for Dasha—was minted in gold.

Together with Dasha, from the first days of the war, hundreds of Sevastopol women – from very young girls to very old ones – became nurses and nurses, helping doctors and caring for the wounded. And a little later, Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna, the wife of Prince Mikhail Pavlovich, created the Holy Cross community of sisters of mercy. Of the 120 community sisters who saved lives in besieged Sevastopol, 17 died in the line of duty.

Here’s a more recent example. During the Great Patriotic War, a resident of Sarapul transferred all her savings – government bonds worth 16 thousand rubles – to the victory fund. She worked two jobs and saved money to buy parcels for front-line soldiers. This is not surprising – many helped the front in every possible way. But the fact is that in 1921 this woman donated her St. George’s awards – two crosses and two medals – to the famine relief fund.

Yes, the mother of three was a war hero in her youth, decorated four times for her personal bravery. When Antonina Palshina turned 17, World War I began, and she, disguised as a man, ran away from home to the front. In the battle near the Turkish fortress, Hasankola led the attack after the death of the commander, but was wounded, and in the hospital they found out that Anton was actually Antonina. The girl was sent home.

After completing courses for nurses, Antonina returned to the war – to a rear hospital. However, a month later she escaped – again to the front, again under the guise of a soldier, and soon received the first St. George medal – for successfully taking the “tongue”. Literally a week later, Antonina received a second medal – for carrying the wounded from the battlefield under enemy fire.

The St. George Crosses that followed the medals were no longer awarded to Anton, but to Antonina – she was again revealed, but they did not expel her from the active army. And she fully justified the trust of her commanders, continuing to heroically fight the enemy.

The selfless exploits of women in battles were not uncommon, and they in no way fit into the European “K-K-K” or the canons of neopatriarchy. But they are a tradition that has not died to this day.

A year ago, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said: “Today, one thousand one hundred women military personnel are taking part in a special military operation, every third of them has been awarded state awards.” This is a real, living, genuine tradition.

And in the rear, women weave camouflage nets, sew warm clothes, make trench candles, collect humanitarian aid and, of course, wait for their children, husbands and fathers, worrying about them every minute. How can you not agree with the president, how can you not be surprised by the incomprehensibility of the ability to do everything and even a little more?

But what about the most important thing in a woman’s life—the happiness of motherhood? A recent VTsIOM survey showed that, as in all times, today Russian women perceive the birth of a child as happiness. 92% of Russian women feel more likely and absolutely happy in motherhood. Russian women primarily name family and motherhood as components of female happiness, followed by prosperity, health of family and friends, and harmony in relationships with a partner. 88% of Russian women of reproductive age would like to have children.

What’s stopping you? Those surveyed who want, but do not plan to give birth, see the main obstacle as insufficient material security. And this is 39%, and among 18-24 year olds – 60%. The second obstacle is the lack of stability in life. And this is no longer a purely women’s issue, it is a problem of state order.

If society and the market cannot provide prosperity and stability, the state has to take over. In his address to the Federal Assembly, Vladimir Putin outlined a strategy, and the government has already calculated the budgets. 2.3 trillion rubles will be allocated to the maternity capital program, about 500 billion to family mortgages, 350 billion to repay part of the mortgage loan at the birth of a third child, 75 billion rubles will go to programs to support families in regions where the total fertility rate was below the Russian average .

Well, if, through the efforts of the state, we have another tradition – material security for mothers, this will be an excellent addition to the traditions that already exist.