{"id":2619,"date":"2012-03-08T08:00:27","date_gmt":"2012-03-08T08:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=2619"},"modified":"2012-03-08T05:58:27","modified_gmt":"2012-03-08T05:58:27","slug":"womens-day-or-femininity-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/womens-day-or-femininity-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Women’s Day or Femininity Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

March 8 is a holiday in Russia, \u041c\u0435\u0436\u0434\u0443\u043d\u0430\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 <\/strong>\u0434\u0435\u043d\u044c<\/strong> (International Women\u2019s Day) or \u043f\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u0434\u043d\u0438\u043a <\/strong>\u0412\u043e\u0441\u044c\u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0433\u043e <\/strong>\u043c\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0442\u0430<\/strong> (the Eighth of March) or simply \u0416\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 <\/strong>\u0434\u0435\u043d\u044c<\/strong> (Women\u2019s Day).<\/p>\n

There will be plenty of \u043f\u043e\u0437\u0434\u0440\u0430\u0432\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f<\/strong> (congratulations), \u0446\u0432\u0435\u0442\u044b<\/span><\/strong> (flowers), \u043f\u043e\u0437\u0434\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0435 <\/strong>\u043e\u0442\u043a\u0440\u044b<\/span>\u0442\u043a\u0438<\/strong> (greeting cards), \u0448\u043e\u043a\u043e\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u0434<\/strong> (chocolate) and \u043f\u043e\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u043a\u0438<\/strong> (gifts). Men will also try, if just for one day, to take over some of the \u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u0430 <\/strong>\u043f\u043e <\/strong>\u0434\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u0443<\/strong> (household chores).<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s something I find irritating about Women\u2019s Day \u00a0– the word \u00a0\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (femininity). All the \u043a\u043e\u043c\u043f\u043b\u0438\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0442\u044b<\/strong> (compliments), \u0437\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u043a\u0438 <\/strong>\u0432\u043d\u0438\u043c\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f<\/strong> (here: attention), \u043f\u043e\u0436\u0435\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f<\/strong> (holiday wishes), and \u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u044b<\/strong> (toasts) emphasize \u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/strong> over any other attribute women have.<\/p>\n

In fact, \u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0441\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u0438\u0442\u0441\u044f <\/strong>\u0432\u043e <\/strong>\u0433\u043b\u0430\u0432\u0443<\/span> <\/strong>\u0443\u0433\u043b\u0430<\/span><\/strong> (femininity is placed at the forefront) to the total exclusion of all other qualities required for a happy and fulfilling life. \u0424\u0435\u043c\u0438\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (a feminist) is not a nice word in Russia.<\/p>\n

\u041d\u0430\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0449\u0443\u044e <\/strong>\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0449\u0438\u043d\u0443 <\/strong>\u043e\u0442 <\/strong>\u044d\u043c\u0430\u043d\u0441\u0438\u043f\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0439 <\/strong>\u043e\u0442\u043b\u0438\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u0442 <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0436\u0434\u0435 <\/strong>\u0432\u0441\u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span> <\/strong>\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (Femininity, above all, sets a real woman apart from an emancipated one) writes one author<\/a>. She later adds that her best advice when couples come to her for counseling is \u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0449\u0438\u043d\u0430 <\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u0434\u043e\u043b\u0436\u043d\u0430<\/span> <\/strong>\u0431\u044b\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u043d\u0430\u043f\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u0438\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0439<\/strong> (a woman should not be assertive)<\/p>\n

Yet another psychologist explains that there is nothing more \u043e\u0442\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u043a\u0438\u0432\u0430\u044e\u0449\u0435\u0435 <\/strong>(repulsive) than \u043c\u0443<\/span>\u0436\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435\u043d\u043d\u0430\u044f <\/strong>\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0449\u0438\u043d\u0430<\/strong>, evidently confusing \u043c\u0443<\/span>\u0436\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435\u043d\u043d\u0430\u044f<\/strong> (brave) and \u043c\u0443\u0436\u0435\u043f\u043e\u0434\u043e<\/span>\u0431\u043d\u0430\u044f<\/strong> (manly).<\/p>\n

Digging more into the question of \u0447\u0442\u043e <\/strong>\u0437\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0447\u0438\u0442 <\/strong>\u0431\u044b\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0439<\/strong> (what does it mean to be feminine), gets you a whole collection of \u201csubservient chicken\u201d qualities:<\/p>\n

\u0422\u0435\u0440\u043f\u0435\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/strong> – patience<\/p>\n

\u0411\u0435\u0437\u0443\u0441\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u043e\u0435 \u0443\u0432\u0430\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u043a \u043c\u0443\u0436\u0447\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0430\u043c<\/strong> – unconditional respect for men<\/p>\n

\u0413\u0438<\/span>\u0431\u043a\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c, <\/strong>\u0443\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 <\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0439\u0442\u0438<\/span> <\/strong>\u043d\u0430 <\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u043c\u043f\u0440\u043e\u043c\u0438<\/span>\u0441<\/strong> – flexibility, ability to agree to a compromise<\/p>\n

\u0423\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 <\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u0441\u043f\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u0438\u0442\u044c<\/strong> – ability to not argue<\/p>\n

\u041d\u0435<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u0441\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u0431\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/strong> – tenderness and weakness in a sense that a man is needed to solve many of the life\u2019s issues<\/p>\n

\u041f\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/strong> – passivity<\/p>\n

And here are some femininity killers<\/p>\n

\u0423\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u043d\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0438\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c \u043d\u0430 \u0441\u0432\u043e\u0451<\/span>\u043c<\/strong> – standing your ground<\/p>\n

\u041a\u043e\u043d\u043a\u0443\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u0441 \u043c\u0443\u0436\u0447\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0430\u043c\u0438<\/strong> – competing with men<\/p>\n

\u0420\u0435<\/span>\u0437\u043a\u0438\u0435 <\/strong>\u0434\u0432\u0438\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f, <\/strong>\u043e\u0442\u0440\u044b<\/span>\u0432\u0438\u0441\u0442\u0430\u044f <\/strong>\u0440\u0435\u0447\u044c<\/strong> – jerky movements, brisk speech also general lack of \u0438\u0437\u044f<\/span>\u0449\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e<\/strong> (grace)<\/p>\n

\u041d\u0435\u0442\u0435\u0440\u043f\u0435\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/strong> – impatience<\/p>\n

\u041f\u043e\u043f\u044b<\/span>\u0442\u043a\u0438 \u0438\u0437\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u043f\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u043c\u0443\u0436\u0447\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u044b<\/strong> – attempts to change man\u2019s ways<\/p>\n

This is particularly ironic considering the holiday\u2019s origin and the fact that back in 1965 the Women\u2019s Day was officially declared a non-working holiday in recognition of Soviet women\u2019s \u0433\u0435\u0440\u043e\u0438<\/span>\u0437\u043c<\/strong> (heroism) and \u0441\u0430\u043c\u043e\u043e\u0442\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0436\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c <\/strong>(disregard of self, dedication), among other things.<\/p>\n

I recently read a novel \u041a\u044b\u0441\u044c<\/strong> (The Slynx) by Tatiana Tolstaya. In the post-apocalyptic dystopian Russia, the Women\u2019s Day is brought back to life through a feudal decree that orders<\/p>\n

\u0412 \u044d<\/span>\u043d\u0442\u043e\u0442 \u0434\u0435\u043d\u044c \u0432\u0441\u0435\u043c \u0431\u0430<\/span>\u0431\u0430\u043c \u043f\u043e\u0447\u0451<\/span>\u0442 \u0438 \u0443\u0432\u0430\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435… \u0412 \u044d<\/span>\u043d\u0442\u043e\u0442 \u041f\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u0434\u043d\u0438\u043a \u0438\u0445 \u043d\u0435 \u0431\u0438\u0442\u044c \u043d\u0435 \u043a\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0448\u043c\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u0442\u044c \u043d\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u0442\u0430\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0433\u043e \u043e\u0431\u044b<\/span>\u0447\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0447\u0442\u043e\u0431 \u043d\u0435 \u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u0430\u0442\u044c… \u0421\u043a\u0430\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c: \u00ab\u0416\u0435\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u044e \u0441\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u044c\u044f \u0432 \u0436\u0438<\/span>\u0437\u043d\u0438 \u0443\u0441\u043f\u0435<\/span>\u0445\u043e\u0432 \u0432 \u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u0435 \u043c\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e \u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0431\u0430 \u043d\u0430\u0434 \u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0439.\u00bb \u0412\u0441\u044f<\/span>\u043a\u0443\u044e \u0431\u0430<\/span>\u0431\u0443… \u0445\u043e\u0442\u044c \u043a\u0442\u043e \u0442\u0430\u043a\u0438<\/span>\u043c\u0438 \u0436\u0435 \u0441\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u0438 \u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0436\u043b\u0438\u0432\u043e \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0437\u0434\u0440\u0430\u0432\u043b\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c.<\/strong><\/p>\n

(On this day honor and respect to all broads\u2026 On such Holiday not to hit them nor beat them nor nothing of the usual kind do to them\u2026 Say: \u201cWishing you happiness in life success in work peaceful skies above.\u201d Any broad\u2026 congratulate politely with such words whoever you are.)<\/p>\n

(BTW, if you have an English translation of The Slynx, maybe you can find an exact translation and post it in the comments.)<\/p>\n

What do you think femininity is or is not?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

March 8 is a holiday in Russia, \u041c\u0435\u0436\u0434\u0443\u043d\u0430\u0440\u043e\u0434\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0436\u0435\u043d\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u0434\u0435\u043d\u044c (International Women\u2019s Day) or \u043f\u0440\u0430\u0437\u0434\u043d\u0438\u043a \u0412\u043e\u0441\u044c\u043c\u043e\u0433\u043e \u043c\u0430\u0440\u0442\u0430 (the Eighth of March) or simply \u0416\u0435\u043d\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u0434\u0435\u043d\u044c (Women\u2019s Day). There will be plenty of \u043f\u043e\u0437\u0434\u0440\u0430\u0432\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0438\u044f (congratulations), \u0446\u0432\u0435\u0442\u044b (flowers), \u043f\u043e\u0437\u0434\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0438\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u043e\u0442\u043a\u0440\u044b\u0442\u043a\u0438 (greeting cards), \u0448\u043e\u043a\u043e\u043b\u0430\u0434 (chocolate) and \u043f\u043e\u0434\u0430\u0440\u043a\u0438 (gifts). Men will also try, if just for one day, to…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3,7827],"tags":[1227,1240,1296,117540,117539,117538,117537],"class_list":["post-2619","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-culture","category-russian-life","tag-russian-culture","tag-russian-holidays","tag-russian-women","tag-tatiana-tolstaya","tag-the-slynx","tag-women-in-post-soviet-russia","tag-womens-day-in-russia"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2619","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2619"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2619\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11269,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2619\/revisions\/11269"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2619"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2619"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2619"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}