US Ambassador John Beyrle: "Feminism" is a Dirty Word in Russia

[ensho]

http://counterpunch.com/shamir03082011.html


As some countries celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, we present here on the CounterPunch site a previously unpublished Wikileaks cable on women’s rights in Russia, signed by the current U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation, John Beyrle, a career foreign service officer who assumed his present post in 2008. He had served two previous tours in the Moscow embassy.

Categorized as “sensitive” and “not for publication”, Beyrle’s cable affords an interesting insight on Russian sisterhood. The Russian women had full equal rights in the Soviet days, says the US Ambassador, and even now Russia has the most liberal laws on gender equality. The gap between men and women’s wages is just about 15 percent, as opposed to 35 per cent in the US. Russia does not know sex harassment cases; women are bothered all right, but they do not complain. A young student inquired incredulously: "Is it really true, that in an American office, a man cannot touch a woman, or else she will take him to court?" She added that perhaps the woman might find the attention pleasing. Indeed, the Russian women are fighting for their right not to pursue a career and would rather stay home.

We also learn from the Wiki cable that since the fall of Soviet socialist model accompanied by de-industrialization, men’s lot took a sharp turn for worse: men commit suicides in droves, and men’s life expectancy is a full 12 years shorter than that of women. With the advent of capitalism, many women believed in the Cinderella dream of marrying a rich man; now only 5 per cent stick to this hope. Russian women want to be beautiful and they put a lot of effort into it, including wearing quite provocative dresses even to their workplace. The Ambassador noted that “feminism” is a dirty word in Russia; none admit to it.

-snip of the cable that had 11 of the 12 sections-

12. (SBU) Many Russian women seek the same rights as women in other countries, such as safety from domestic violence and the right to equal pay for equal work. However, the context in which they attempt to assert those rights differs considerably from that in the Western context. As they often find themselves fulfilling both traditional male and traditional female roles, while men are either nowhere to be found or are incapacitated and/or abusive, Russian women are focusing more on simple survival than on organizing a Russian version of the National Organization for Women. Until demographic trends in Russia change, the social dynamic between the genders in Russia will continue to discourage women from taking the time, energy, or initiative to publicly stand up for their rights in a manner similar to Western feminists.

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the 3rd paragraph is most interesting and sad

[BlueIris]

1. "While men are either nowhere to be found or are incapacitated and/or abusive."

Sad.

[ensho]

3. 'incapacitated' = alcoholism

this is a huge problem in Russia

[Le Taz Hot]

2. Hell, feminism has become a dirty word here.

I can't tell you how many times I've heard YOUNG WOMEN say, "I believe in equal rights for women but I'm not a feminist." :banghead:

[blindpig]

4. Yeah boy, good thing those commies are gone...

Same has happened in urban Afghanistan, though much more extreme.

The only right intrinsic in Capitalist society is the overweening right of property.