| Russian women in Society | | | | churches were closed down everywhere, |
| | | | monasteries were dismissed. The destruction |
| RW have for a long time been competing to | | | | of the Temple of Christ the Savior in Moscow |
| gain equal status in Russia. Although I think | | | | that was erected in 1812 on public money to |
| competing is the wrong word. I think most | | | | commemorate the victory of the Russian army |
| women have resigned themselves to the fact | | | | over Napoleon, may serve a symbol of those |
| that they just need to wait for changes to | | | | years. |
| take place - there is nothing they can do. | | | | |
| | | | Communist ideology replaced Christianity for |
| This sentiment typifies a RWs place in | | | | many years. Believers were persecuted, those |
| society. She is forced to go where there are | | | | who were not members of Komsomol (young |
| opportunities for her...and there are not | | | | communists) found it impossible to enter an |
| many. One needs to also keep in mind the | | | | institution of higher education. |
| structure of Russian society. Many of our | | | | |
| clients look for doctors, lawyers and | | | | The collapse of the USSR and failure of |
| sometimes engineers to marry. They do not | | | | communist ideology were accompanied by the |
| know that in Russian these are the least | | | | revival of Christianity. Orthodox churches |
| prestigious careers with the least pay. This | | | | were opened everywhere at the end of the |
| may not be so important to our clients but at | | | | 1990s. Missionaries from the USA and West |
| least they will understand the woman's place | | | | Europe extended their sphere of activity. |
| in society. | | | | Alongside with the Orthodox church, various |
| | | | protestant confessions - Baptists, Jehovah's |
| The inferior placement of RW in society has | | | | Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists and others |
| much to do with their role in history. Does | | | | are legalized and start their propaganda. |
| anyone remember any famous women from Russian | | | | |
| history? With the exception of Catherine the | | | | Nowadays almost every Russian woman goes to |
| Great, that is impossible to do! Russian | | | | the church at least once a year to fire a |
| women are experiencing two revolutions, one | | | | candle to honor the memory of the dead or to |
| is the reconnection with the West, and the | | | | prey for the health of the living. Many |
| other the possibility of living a life which | | | | couples sanctify their marriage by going |
| is not possible in Russia | | | | through the church rite. But modern Russian |
| | | | women observe only the exterior of the rites |
| Up to the middle of the 19th century the | | | | without knowing the meaning if them: they go |
| woman in Russia had no legal rights. She was | | | | through the rite of christening and get their |
| the property of her husband and her social | | | | children christened, they go to the church on |
| status depended on that of her husband. All | | | | Easter and Christmas, some observe church |
| education a woman could get was private, any | | | | fasts. But this is a tribute to the |
| public service (i.e., a possibility of taking | | | | tradition, religious fanatics are not |
| some post) was out of the question. | | | | numerous. The Russian Orthodox church did not |
| | | | manage to restore its former impact on the |
| The 1860s are the period of marking a change | | | | hearts and souls of its followers. But the |
| in feminine consciousness and the starting | | | | link between the woman and the church is |
| point of feminine struggle for equal rights. | | | | inherent in all Russian hearts, for they have |
| The idea of emancipation was conceived by the | | | | always sought help from God in difficult |
| progressive, educated part of Russian women | | | | situations. |
| nobility. They strove for the right to get | | | | |
| public education, including higher education. | | | | Like all poor countries, the church is seen |
| (In the 70s the higher courses of Bestuzhev | | | | as a focal point for women to seek comfort. |
| were founded and existed up to the Revolution | | | | Irrespective of whether she believes in the |
| of 1917). | | | | Orthodox or Catholic Church, RW do believe |
| | | | that there is some higher power guiding their |
| The first Russian emancipated women | | | | hand through life. I make it my duty to keep |
| emphasized independence outwardly: they cut | | | | God a central point of our family because I |
| their hair short, smoked, abandoned their | | | | believe God brought us together. |
| families (strove to prove they were able to | | | | |
| support themselves), despised men, considered | | | | An ordinary Russian woman is not a real |
| the institution of the family a survival of | | | | believer in Christianity, she is religious |
| the past. | | | | because she believes there is something |
| | | | watching and protecting her. Her intuition |
| Since 1917, after the Revolution, the Soviets | | | | drives her to follow Christian commandments |
| officially granted equal rights to men and | | | | and observe Christian rites. Not many would |
| women. But in the socialist state the women | | | | tell you the difference between the Orthodox |
| could exercise her equal rights in social | | | | church and the Roman Catholic church, but the |
| labor only. Thus even popular women's | | | | Russian woman trusts in only one God to help |
| magazines were called "Rabotnitsa" ("The | | | | her cope with her life that is far from being |
| Industrial Worker") and "Krestyanka" ("The | | | | straight and easy. |
| Agricultural Worker"). The significance of | | | | |
| the feminine personality, individual | | | | The Culture of Russian Women |
| peculiarities were artificially understated. | | | | |
| This point is easily emphasized by a comment | | | | Russian women are remarkable for their gifts. |
| a man once made. He said that during the 80's | | | | In the fields of sport, science and art, they |
| he had always had the impression RW were | | | | have distinguished themselves. In the World |
| cold, rough women with rough physical | | | | History of Arts are described the names of |
| appearances. But after seeing me, he was | | | | Russian ballet dancers - Anna Pavlova, Maya |
| forced to reconsider this. | | | | Plisetskaya, opera singers - Elena Obrztsova, |
| | | | Galina Vishnevskaya, Irina Arkhipova, the |
| In modern Russia the situation is different. | | | | primadonna of the Russian pop-art Alla |
| Still, keeping in mind that Russian women | | | | Pugachova, poets Marina Tsvetayeva, Anna |
| nowadays may, though, volunteer army service, | | | | Akhmatova. This list could be extended. |
| publish their works, play football and hockey | | | | |
| there is a certain discrimination. This it is | | | | Introducing a child to the world of arts is |
| more difficult for a woman than a man to find | | | | an integral part of education in Russia. Even |
| a well-paid job, to start her own business, | | | | if the girl's aptitudes are not outstanding, |
| to launch a political career. Women account | | | | it is a Russian tradition to have her take a |
| for 53 per cent of the population of Russia | | | | course in some arts, at least at the basic |
| but this majority is represented in | | | | level: there are music and arts schools, |
| Parliament by only 10 per cent of its | | | | courses, societies in big cities and small |
| members. Women are usually treated as if they | | | | towns. It is every mothers dream to see their |
| are meant to serve the whims of their male | | | | daughter develop great skill in a musical |
| counterparts. | | | | instrument. |
| | | | |
| One friend told me about her experience in | | | | Thus, even a remote provincial town can |
| finding a job. She managed to find a job | | | | provide a girl with an opportunity to study |
| which paid only 100 rubles a day. She is | | | | classical, folk and ballet dancing, playing |
| attractive and young, and has been the object | | | | different folk instruments, the violin and |
| of much attention from men. She is a bright | | | | the piano, vocal singing and singing in a |
| intelligent person who strives to succeed. | | | | choir. |
| The owner of the shop kept postponing her | | | | |
| weekly payments until the end of the month. | | | | At the age of four children may start |
| He then told her that he would not pay her | | | | attending schools of general esthetical |
| unless she slept with him. Stories liken | | | | education and have classes in music, drawing, |
| these are common and demonstrates the | | | | rhythmics. Naturally, not all girls will |
| hardship RW face. | | | | become professional artists, singers, ballet |
| | | | dancers or musicians, but the Russian woman |
| I'd like to draw your attention to the fact, | | | | keeps her interest for erudition in arts for |
| that the social structure has a direct impact | | | | the rest of her life. |
| on the formation of a woman's image and the | | | | |
| social status of women. The communist | | | | Russian women not only create art but also |
| universal standardization created the | | | | spread it and even save it for the |
| I-neigh-I-bellow-I'm-a-woman-I'm-a-fellow | | | | generations to come. You will see it yourself |
| type of women (A popular Russian rhyme used | | | | if you pay a visit to any museum, art |
| to say that a woman has to perform the | | | | gallery, library in any Russian town. What |
| functions of both men and women), but it | | | | would you think, who works there? You're |
| didn't raise the woman to the level of state | | | | quite right, of course, women. They've |
| affairs. Perestroika (restructuring) and | | | | selflessly devoted their lives to serving |
| democracy that accompanied it helped the | | | | art, in bitterly cold halls that need repairs |
| Russian woman feel a Woman once again, | | | | badly, for pitiful salaries. You would |
| expanded the range of available professions, | | | | wonder, who drives them? Firstly, their love |
| previously considered masculine, but they | | | | for the art. Secondly, their genuine desire |
| didn't radically change the public set of | | | | to showcase their culture. It is art alone |
| mind: the woman is still identified with the | | | | that can provide the spiritual resurrection |
| house, kitchen and children, while political | | | | of the nation. |
| games are played mostly by men. | | | | |
| | | | Aesthetic tastes the modern Russian woman are |
| This explains why RW need to be married at | | | | wide ranging. They depend on several things: |
| such a young age. They believe it is there | | | | a woman's social status, her education, |
| duty to get married and be good mothers and | | | | upbringing, family traditions, her location |
| wives. If not married by the age of at least | | | | (the capital - a regional center - the |
| 25, RW are considered to be old and seen | | | | county), her personality, temperament, mood. |
| through critical eyes. | | | | Tastes, i.e. musical. Artistic, theatrical, |
| | | | differ. Some will listen to nothing but folk |
| Religion in a Russian Womans life | | | | choir, others - to symphony orchestra, the |
| | | | third - to rock groups, the fourth - to pop |
| RWs lives in the age of the Czar can easily | | | | groups. Or still better, one day a woman |
| be described as pitiful at the least. Comfort | | | | listens to Bach's fugues, another - she is |
| could only be found in the Church. And that | | | | picking up the tune of a pop song of Alla |
| is where women took to shelter. They were, | | | | Pugachova. |
| like it or not, tied up with the church: the | | | | |
| rites of baptizing, marriage, burial were | | | | It is not only in the arts that RW |
| performed under the holy laws only. Before | | | | distinguish themselves. One need only look at |
| the Revolution people in Russia austerely | | | | the field of science to see RW making an |
| observed fasts, each settlement had its own | | | | impact. Such names as Valentina Tereschkova |
| strictly revered saint and celebrated a | | | | standout as inspiration to young women. |
| holiday in his honor. | | | | |
| | | | Thus it can be said that RW excel because |
| When the bolsheviks came to power in 1917 the | | | | they are determined to be the best. Potential |
| situation was abruptly changed. The state | | | | husbands for RW should bear this in mind. |
| home policy was directed against the church. | | | | While all internet dating agencies proclaim |
| The church was removed from the state | | | | all RW to only be interested in a marriage |
| affairs. The slogan of those years was | | | | and family, that may change after she adjusts |
| "Religion is opium for people". Many priests | | | | to her new surroundings. |
| and their families were persecuted. Orthodox | | | | |