It is interesting that such an emphasis is put on love and marriage, but it looks as if gender relations are going very well in Russia. Men and women feel they are different enough from one another, but respect each other because the idea of falling in love and starting a family is so important to them. Additionally, Russians believe, generally, that love outweighs work. Many women devote their lives to finding a husband, raising a family, and eventually going back to work when their children reach school age (Buck, 2012). To many Americans, it may come as a culture shock that the vast majority of women would put their lives at home to be a traditional housewife.
Since the fall of the Soviet Union, gender roles in Russia have undergone major changes. In the Soviet Union, the state was the general provider; now, with the rise of a more capitalist marketplace, the social instability and increased unemployment has caused a shift in traditional roles. Newly unemployed men are finding their masculinity damaged, as they are no longer able to be sole breadwinners. As a result, women are faced with double duties, being Suzy Homemaker on one side, but having to also get a job in order to contribute to the family unit. The fall of communism and the transition to a new economic model seems to have placed a lot of stress on the traditional gender roles of Russia. In order to have a “family first” mentality, the prettier sex would no longer be able to focus entirely on finding a husband and starting a family. The changing economy has also led to a significant rise in prostitution, as many women that had originally devoted themselves to finding a husband and starting a family now had no real education or marketable skills but still found themselves needing to earn money (Weilminster, 2007).
What took over 100 years in America with the Women’s Lib movement and shift in traditional gender roles, we are seeing take place in a very short time in Russia. The communist economic model ensured that all citizens would be provided for and, as a result, gender roles were able to develop. However, this economic model would prove to be unsustainable, and the fall of the Soviet Union and rise of capitalism would put strain on the traditional roles of men and women. Russians still want to cling to a “family first” mindset, but without significant changes in the way they see gender roles, this will only be a pipe dream.
References:
Buck, A. (2012). The Prettier Sex: Understanding Gender Roles in Russia. Retrieved from: http://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/letters/the-prettier-sex-understanding-gender-roles-in-russia
Weilminster, L. (2007). Gender and Human Rights. Human Rights & Human Welfare. Retrieved from: http://www.du.edu/korbel/hrhw/researchdigest/russia/gender.pdf