Men and women were, on the books, supposed to be equal in the Soviet Union. Women were an integral part to the revolution, rebuilding, culture, education, research, factories etc. After the revolution, leaders recognized the importance of women being able to chose if or when they wanted children. (Stalin took this away - dick- but supposedly was brought back later). Women were encouraged to work in various industries, arts, sciences etc.
While women, like Lydia Vladimirovna Litvyak, could take up traditional male things like fighting planes or being scientists, home life was still seen the realm of women. While Soviet women worked just as hard as men, they still had to take care of kids and cook and all that shit.
This seems pretty similar to western countries but it was exacerbated by a few things. First, getting stuff done in the Soviet Union was balls. Supplies and food were shitty and/scarce, apartments were tiny and you had to wait years for a car. (Imagine rushing off to work with two kids, dropping them off at school, going to work, picking up groceries without a car and only Soviet era transit) Second, women and men were both under pressure to perform, in their jobs, to glorify the USSR. Imagine taking care of your kids and house, while also being expected to come up some brillant at work to make the fatherland look good. (Western women have started to be stuck under similar pressure to have successful careers)
So, the moral of the story: gender equality does not come just by letting women do dude stuff. Gender equality comes through a) recognize that taking care of kids and homes is just as important as being a sniper, doctor or any other man job and b) telling kids,both girls and boys, that home life is the responsibility of both parents. Also, things like free childcare, forced dad pregnancy leave etc help.
Lydia Vladimirovna Litvyak shot down at least 12 German planes. She is one of the world’s only two female fighter aces, along with Katya Budanova. She was shot down by Luftwaffe’s Experten Hans-Jörg Merkle of JG 52 or Hans Schleef, of JG 3 aged 21.
(Source: sovietico)
I’m writing this on the R train as it rattles slowly along toward Brooklyn. I’m headed to pick up my 6-month-old daughter. I’m writing because I’m still reeling from what occurred on the Times Square subway platform a few moments ago. I was walking to the end of the station as I…
I haven’t been touched inappropriately in years but I have been, increasingly, cat called. The last time was when I was running for the bus to go to ballet. I was dressed like I normally am, looking no different than any hipster boy. Yet because my thin frame possess some curves that don’t hide my gender, I was spotted and honked and screamed at. In my own neighbourhood, only blocks from my house, the same streets I’ve walked home at 3 am and never felt unsafe. There was no way for me to yell or hit the guys (I wasn’t carrying anything or I would have thrown it.) What I did was later in the day buy a baseball cap. That way, if I was ever out again wearing it I could pass as a boy.
I like being a girl, even if I am fairly masculine. Yet to be safe, for me to feel safe, I feel I need to step out of my house looking like a guy.
I meet up with a good friend of mine, who also is an ex, and told him the story. It made him sad and then I got angry that more men aren’t like him.
the beep test is worldwide actually
but it was invented in montreal so >:(
bag cat waits for the right moment to strike…
