{"id":9814,"date":"2017-03-09T07:05:54","date_gmt":"2017-03-09T07:05:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=9814"},"modified":"2017-03-09T17:45:16","modified_gmt":"2017-03-09T17:45:16","slug":"march-8-in-russia-appreciation-of-women-or-sexist-holiday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/march-8-in-russia-appreciation-of-women-or-sexist-holiday\/","title":{"rendered":"March 8 in Russia: Appreciation of Women or Sexist Holiday?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"young

Image from Unsplash<\/p><\/div>\n

Yesterday Russia and several neighboring countries celebrated\u00a0International Women’s Day<\/a>\u00a0(\u041c\u0435\u0436\u0434\u0443\u043d\u0430\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u0434\u0435\u043d\u044c). However, as I was reading coverage of the holiday in Russian-language media, I was reminded that the controversy surrounding the holiday remains. So why do some people think this holiday is outdated or a sham?<\/p>\n

Background<\/h1>\n

The holiday started as a commemoration of the fight for women’s rights<\/a>. It may, therefore, be surprising that over the Soviet period, the holiday has all but lost its political and social “punch” and has evolved into a fairly “vanilla” holiday celebrating women. Most celebrations these days center on giving the women in your life (relatives, colleagues, teachers, and classmates) presents, throwing them a party, or cooking a meal for them. There are a few reasons some people think this holiday needs to be re-assessed.<\/p>\n

Criticism<\/h1>\n

Hackneyed Token Holiday<\/h2>\n

One of the most common criticisms of the holiday is that it has moved away from its original social-justice roots and turned into a feast of consumerism, with women receiving (and exchanging) chocolates, flowers, perfume, and other gifts. As one woman in St. Petersburg<\/a> said, “\u041f\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u0434\u043d\u0438\u043a \u043f\u043e\u0442\u0440\u0435\u0431\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f. \u041a\u0440\u0443\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0442 \u0442\u043e\u043d\u043d \u0448\u043e\u043a\u043e\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u0434\u0430, \u0434\u0443\u0445\u043e<\/span>\u0432 \u0438 \u043a\u043e\u043b\u0433\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u043a” (“A consumerist holiday. A whirlpool of tons of chocolate, perfume, and tights.”). Detractors believe it is facetious to only appreciate the women around you one day of the year instead of advocating\u00a0gender equality all year round.<\/p>\n

Communist Past<\/h2>\n

There has been talk\u00a0in Ukraine of making March 8 a working day as part of the effort to distance the country from its Soviet past. A commentator<\/a> has noted, “\u042d\u0442\u043e \u0430\u0431\u0441\u043e\u043b\u044e<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u043e \u0441\u043e\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u043f\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u0434\u043d\u0438\u043a \u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u0442\u0438\u043a\u043e\u0432 \u0438 \u0431\u0443\u043a\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u043a\u043e\u0432” (“This is a totally Soviet holiday of cakes and bouquets”), meaning it does not do women’s rights justice.<\/p>\n

Reinforces Gender Roles<\/h2>\n

As Yelena pointed out on this blog before, a lot of March 8 celebrations in Russia tend to emphasize “traditional” femininity<\/a> (\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c), centered around motherhood, submissiveness, and beauty.\u00a0This Yekaterinburg woman<\/a> commented:<\/p>\n

\u041d\u0430\u0441 \u043f\u043e\u0437\u0434\u0440\u0430\u0432\u043b\u044f<\/span>\u044e\u0442 \u0441 \u0442\u0435\u043c, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u043c\u044b \u043c\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u044b\u0435 \u0438 \u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0435, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u0443\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0448\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u043c \u043c\u0438\u0440 \u0441\u0432\u043e\u0438<\/span>\u043c \u0432\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0448\u043d\u0438\u043c \u0432\u0438<\/span>\u0434\u043e\u043c. \u0410 \u0435\u0449\u0451\u00a0\u043c\u044b \u0432\u0434\u043e\u0445\u043d\u043e\u0432\u043b\u044f<\/span>\u0435\u043c, \u0443\u0431\u043b\u0430\u0436\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u043c \u0438 \u0437\u0430 \u043d\u0430\u0448 \u0441\u0447\u0451\u0442 \u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u043e \u0441\u0430\u043c\u043e\u0443\u0442\u0432\u0435\u0440\u0436\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f \u0438 \u0447\u0443<\/span>\u0432\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c \u0441\u0435\u0431\u044f<\/span> \u0441\u0438\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0435.
\n(We are congratulated on being cute and feminine and making the world prettier with our looks. We also inspire, pamper, and you can raise your self-esteem\u00a0and feel stronger at our expense.)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Redeeming Qualities<\/h1>\n
\"buckets

Image from Unsplash<\/p><\/div>\n

Appreciation of Women<\/h2>\n

At the same time, many women support celebrating this holiday. One said<\/a> that it was needed:<\/p>\n

\u0414\u043b\u044f \u0442\u043e\u0433\u043e<\/span>, \u0447\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0431\u044b \u043e\u0431\u0440\u0430\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u043d\u0430 \u0441\u0435\u0431\u044f<\/span> \u0432\u043d\u0438\u043c\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u043c\u0443\u0436\u0447\u0438<\/span>\u043d, \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0443\u0447\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u043a\u0443<\/span>\u0447\u0443 \u043f\u043e\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u043a\u043e\u0432 \u0438 \u043f\u043e\u0437\u0434\u0440\u0430\u0432\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0439 \u043e\u0442 \u043a\u043e\u043b\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0433 \u0438 \u0431\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0437\u043a\u0438\u0445. \u0410 \u0442\u0430<\/span>\u043a\u0436\u0435 \u0441\u043a\u0430\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u043c\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u0435, \u043a\u0430\u043a \u044f \u0435\u0439 \u0431\u043b\u0430\u0433\u043e\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u043d\u0430 \u0437\u0430 \u0432\u0441\u0451.
\n(…to get men’s attention and receive a ton of gifts and holiday wishes from my co-workers and loved ones. And also to tell my mother how grateful I am to her for everything.)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Spring and Renewal<\/h2>\n

Not everyone thought March 8 had to do exclusively with gender roles. One respondent in the St. Petersburg interview<\/a> said, “\u042d<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u0442 \u0434\u0435\u043d\u044c \u0430\u0441\u0441\u043e\u0446\u0438\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u0443\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f \u0443 \u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f<\/span> \u0441 \u0437\u0430<\/span>\u043f\u0430\u0445\u043e\u043c \u0432\u0435\u0441\u043d\u044b<\/span> \u0438 \u043f\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0432\u044b\u043c\u0438 \u043b\u0443\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u0438 \u0432\u0435\u0441\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u043d\u0435\u0433\u043e \u0441\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043d\u0446\u0430” (“I associate this day with the smell of spring and the first rays of spring sunlight”).<\/p>\n

Opportunity to Talk About Gender Equality<\/h2>\n

Another respondent in the\u00a0Yekaterinburg interview<\/a>\u00a0used the holiday as an opportunity to talk about women’s issues:<\/p>\n

\u042f \u043b\u044e\u0431\u043b\u044e<\/span> 8 \u041c\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0442\u0430, \u043f\u043e\u0442\u043e\u043c\u0443<\/span> \u0447\u0442\u043e \u0432 \u044d<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u0442 \u0434\u0435\u043d\u044c \u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u044e<\/span> \u043e \u043d\u0435\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u0435\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435 \u0432 \u0437\u0430\u0440\u043f\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0430\u0445, \u043d\u0435\u0441\u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0435\u0434\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043e\u043c \u0440\u0430\u0437\u0434\u0435\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0438 \u0434\u043e\u043c\u0430<\/span>\u0448\u043d\u0435\u0433\u043e \u0442\u0440\u0443\u0434\u0430<\/span>, \u0441\u0442\u0435\u043a\u043b\u044f<\/span>\u043d\u043d\u043e\u043c \u043f\u043e\u0442\u043e\u043b\u043a\u0435<\/span> \u0432 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0444\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0441\u0438\u0438, \u043a\u043e\u0433\u0434\u0430<\/span> \u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0449\u0438\u043d\u044b \u043d\u0435 \u0434\u043e\u043f\u0443\u0441\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u044e\u0442\u0441\u044f \u0434\u043e \u0440\u0443\u043a\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0434\u044f<\/span>\u0449\u0438\u0445 \u0434\u043e\u043b\u0436\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u0439, \u0441\u0435\u043a\u0441\u0443\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e\u0439 \u043e\u0431\u044a\u0435\u043a\u0442\u0438\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0446\u0438\u0438 \u0432 \u0440\u0435\u043a\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u0435, \u043b\u0438\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0430\u0442\u0443<\/span>\u0440\u0435 \u0438 \u043a\u0438\u043d\u043e<\/span>.
\n(I like March 8 because on this day, I talk about the gender pay gap, inequitable division of housework, the glass ceiling at work, when women are not allowed into management positions, and sexual objectification in advertising, literature, and cinema.)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Have you celebrated March 8 in Russia or elsewhere? What were your impressions?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"young

Yesterday Russia and several neighboring countries celebrated\u00a0International Women’s Day\u00a0(\u041c\u0435\u0436\u0434\u0443\u043d\u0430\u0440\u043e\u0434\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0436\u0435\u043d\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u0434\u0435\u043d\u044c). However, as I was reading coverage of the holiday in Russian-language media, I was reminded that the controversy surrounding the holiday remains. So why do some people think this holiday is outdated or a sham? Background The holiday started as a commemoration of the…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":113,"featured_media":9824,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[74,541516,7845,35329,173327],"class_list":["post-9814","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","tag-gender","tag-holidays","tag-international-womens-day","tag-march-8","tag-womens-rights"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9814","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\/113"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9814"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9814\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9827,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9814\/revisions\/9827"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9824"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9814"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9814"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9814"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}