Eastern European women have obtained a stereotype for their hyper-feminine and sultry ways and their known activity of marrying Western men for emigration purposes. The obvious power structures in place in this dynamic stems from construction of femininity that is a literal subordination to men’s desires, which in turn effects the social status of all Russian women. Firstly, I will focus on the economic position of Russian women from USSR through to the Russian Republic. The notions and practises surrounding femininity marginalize both women in the workforce and negatively effect their interest in pursuing profitable careers. Women are thus hit the hardest in open markets. I will also be focusing on women in Russia and Ukraine and how their
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Their femininity is built around a subordination to the desires of men. Lastly the repercussions of this perception of femininity will be examined. A resentment between women of different cultures and of different expectations of femininity causes a disregard of the other. These women live independently and working in somewhat badly paid domestic jobs and dedicate majority of disposable income on maintaining their hyper-feminine appearances. It is a dedication to their ‘womanhood’ and to the empowerment they receive from the seductiveness of their “male-defined notion of beauty” (Martina Cvajner, 2011, p 358). Living within a Russian Patriarchy, these women find empowerment in their ability to attract the opposite sex and view relying on men for economic stability as the ‘norm’. The aim of this essay is to examine femininity and hyper-femininity in Russia, focusing on its patriarchal elements and how it diminishes women’s social and economic positions. The construction of femininity in Soviet Union Russia continues to subordinate and domesticate women in the Russian …show more content…
Hyper-femininity has a systematic correlation in the ‘woman’ identity. In USSR Russia the women looked down on cultures, specifically Italians, where the women were modest in their appearance and due to this not seen as “real women” (p 361). The construction of femininity is thus a significant part of being accepted as a woman by peers. “If you take care of yourself, you are a woman” (Martina Cvajner, 2011, p 364). Femininity is very appearance orientated in this society and Women that do not adhere to this visual expectation are not able to call themselves women. In a sense, the woman is the product and the man is the purchaser. “Martushka, how can you imagine that a professor wants to talk to you if he doesn’t even understand if you are a man or a woman! That is why you are alone and you have no kids! Who wants a woman that is not a woman!” (Author field notes, 2005. Martina Cvajner, 2011, p 361) This was said to an American academic who lived in Russia for a few months to study the relationship between femininity and emigration. It surmises that the fear of being seen as androgynous effects not only romantic prospects, but the ability to have children. Hyper-femininity is essentially a means of forcing your gender upon people, a way to translate that you are an appealing and successful women. A woman’s biological purpose to reproduce will not
Their femininity is built around a subordination to the desires of men. Lastly the repercussions of this perception of femininity will be examined. A resentment between women of different cultures and of different expectations of femininity causes a disregard of the other. These women live independently and working in somewhat badly paid domestic jobs and dedicate majority of disposable income on maintaining their hyper-feminine appearances. It is a dedication to their ‘womanhood’ and to the empowerment they receive from the seductiveness of their “male-defined notion of beauty” (Martina Cvajner, 2011, p 358). Living within a Russian Patriarchy, these women find empowerment in their ability to attract the opposite sex and view relying on men for economic stability as the ‘norm’. The aim of this essay is to examine femininity and hyper-femininity in Russia, focusing on its patriarchal elements and how it diminishes women’s social and economic positions. The construction of femininity in Soviet Union Russia continues to subordinate and domesticate women in the Russian …show more content…
Hyper-femininity has a systematic correlation in the ‘woman’ identity. In USSR Russia the women looked down on cultures, specifically Italians, where the women were modest in their appearance and due to this not seen as “real women” (p 361). The construction of femininity is thus a significant part of being accepted as a woman by peers. “If you take care of yourself, you are a woman” (Martina Cvajner, 2011, p 364). Femininity is very appearance orientated in this society and Women that do not adhere to this visual expectation are not able to call themselves women. In a sense, the woman is the product and the man is the purchaser. “Martushka, how can you imagine that a professor wants to talk to you if he doesn’t even understand if you are a man or a woman! That is why you are alone and you have no kids! Who wants a woman that is not a woman!” (Author field notes, 2005. Martina Cvajner, 2011, p 361) This was said to an American academic who lived in Russia for a few months to study the relationship between femininity and emigration. It surmises that the fear of being seen as androgynous effects not only romantic prospects, but the ability to have children. Hyper-femininity is essentially a means of forcing your gender upon people, a way to translate that you are an appealing and successful women. A woman’s biological purpose to reproduce will not