School roots of the gender inequality of Russian politics

The gender inequality in Russian political life cannot be noticed, not even particularly bothering to read research.

Political scientist S. Aivazov believes that among the reasons that impede the advancement of women in Russian politics, the institutional barriers and gender stereotypes of voters are leading. According to sociologists, from 35 to 40 percent of the population of Russia they continue to support the point of view that “politics is the lot of men, women in politics have nothing to do,” women themselves are of little interest in politics and attribute it to the peripheral sphere of their being.

What do high school students think about this? Does the Russian feminine movement have a foundation in the foreseeable future to hope for the company to support the participation of women in politics and female political leadership in particular? The laboratory of the Gender Education of the Murmansk Pedagogical University conducted pilot research, analyzing school works.

On the one hand, the answers of schoolchildren show the ability of young people to notice the changes taking place in society, in male and female roles, especially in female roles. Significant changes are indicated: the education of women, economic independence, the growth of independence, the professional employment of women in many areas of national economy and science, emancipation (the concept is used and deciphered in several works of 9-graders). As the latest innovations in the female role are called women's creation of their own business and driving a car. But the recognition of the emancipation of women in many youthful works has a negative subtext.

In the “female” and “male” subgroups of students, there were 70% of supporters and 30% of opponents of the idea of ​​political leadership of women in Russia. But, apparently, this readiness has not yet become a meaningful conviction.

Here are some results of the analysis.

1. The president’s recipe from modern high school students.

In the description of the “ideal policy” in girls and boys, a lot coincides: high requirements for education, strong -willed characteristics, and the ability to make decisions. Diligence, patriotism, love for their people are also expected from the president. By the way, the theme of love and pity for their people sounds very much in almost all writings. It seems that this is a hidden message about the deficiency of the “human dimension” in the policy of the current government. Both boys and girls begin their works from the words: “He should be ...” - although they talk about whether a woman can become the president of Russia. Perhaps this is because the “president”, like many other words denoting high social status in the Russian language, is a masculine noun.

Other aspects of the gender differences in the expected image of the political leader were quite clearly reflected in the works.

Firstly, the difference between “male” and “female” values ​​in expectations is obvious. For boys, “strength” characteristics in the personality characteristics are preferable in the characterization of the Personal personality: composure and determination, readiness for rivalry and confrontation, competition, and Machiaverism. Among the desirable qualities, politics also noted: determination, responsibility and health. Oddly enough, only the boys have a description of the president’s appearance, although it is traditionally believed that women pay more attention to their appearance and that it is in Russia that women choose the Presidential Mukes, while preferring male beautiful people ...

The boys characterized the external parameters of the political leader: “He should not be very old, 45-50 years old, healthy, strong, strong, able to press on others. It should be beautiful and attractive. A tall, slender president should be generally. ” From the context, one can understand that for boys the activities of the President of Russia are more associated with the solution of defense issues and confrontation to external threats.

The model of the political leader in girls is characterized by an emphasis on the communicative characteristics of the personality. This is transmitted through the selection of words, formulations, a desire to emphasize that the president "must be a person who knows how to understand others, knows how to talk with others, understands through the conversation the needs of those with whom he speaks." To the important characteristics of the President of the girl from

They wear: honesty, decency, knowledge of the life of the people and the desire to take care of it, education, strength of spirit, justice, the ability and desire to work, the ability to listen to someone else's opinion, but at the same time defend their innocence. In general, girls, as it seemed to us, have higher requirements for morality, a request for a model of the president of a super-man. In several works, it says: “The president is a person with a capital letter with the fullness of human qualities: spiritual wealth, moral purity and physical perfection. Educated, implacable to the enemies of his homeland, fair, loving his people. " Judging by the works, girls are more associated with the activities of the president with issues of arranging the inner life of Russia.

Secondly, the gender differences in the image of the policy in boys and girls are visible in another important aspect: ideas about the ratio of family values ​​and profession in the life of the president. In the works of the girls, we read: "By the beginning of his career, he must be a married person so that personal affairs do not distract him from the main lesson." None of the 33 young men mentioned whether the President of Russia should have a family at all.

The above examples indicate that although many high school students, in principle, allow the possibility that women in Russia will rule the state and can become the president of the country, nevertheless, the traditional stereotype of the political leader of middle-aged, an outwardly attractive, assertive, confident, conquering their place in strict competition with other politicians, is dominated and dominated. Several works mention women political leaders of states among different peoples and at different times, but not one of the works contains a description of the Russian president woman to which the type of Russian president male president is described.

2. The president is not a father, but the president is certainly the mother of the whole of Russia.

In general, all works can be divided into three unequal groups. In most of the works of eleven-graders and some nine-graders (mainly girls), the idea of ​​a Russian president of Russia is commented, but not rejected. Schoolchildren who supported the idea of ​​the political leadership of women in Russia pay attention to the following qualities of women politicians: responsibility and judgment, motherhood as a guarantee of understanding of all social problems of people, education and natural mind, wisdom, social experience, love for people, sensitivity, honesty, will, will, the desire to restore order in everything.

The authors give various arguments, proving the advantages of female government in Russia, and special emphasis is on “maternal instinct”: (girl, 9 cells) “... by nature is laid down so that every woman is a mother. She would treat the state as her child. The woman president will pay a lot of attention to the arrangement of orphanages, schools, kindergartens, shelters, and an increase in the education of the people. In the same way, a woman will be able to cope with the financial, and the military, and with what other problems. ”

(Young man, 9 cl.) “I do not see anything bad in this if a woman comes to the position of president. I believe that there should be no discrimination. After all, there are women presidents of companies, firms. If a woman does everything for the good of the state, then let her be the president of Russia. I believe that the main thing is that people live well, and not who the president is a woman or a man. ”

(Girl, 11 cl.) “... President is a person with a capital letter. <...> He should be a good politician, economist, strategist and tactic. I think that a woman could cope with this role in our country. A woman, in addition to all these qualities, is the best forecast. It is economically closer, it is inherent in it to calculate all the economic problems, have its own individual approach, and also have its own individual image. An important role in government is played by female charm. A woman feels better people, better versed in them. The woman is primarily a mother. And the woman -president is a mother to all the Russian people. ”

(Young man, 11 cl.) “Yes! I would like to see a woman at the head of our state! <...> The woman is much more responsible for the duties assigned to her. ... The state with a woman-president can finally turn to face the problem of childish homelessness, crime, drug addiction, charity. Still, a woman with her “maternal instinct” will feel more subtly and look at tomorrow, not forgetting today ..... I think that the woman would first deal with old problems, and then began to invent something new. ”

It is understandable that high school students extend the stereotypical characteristics of a woman-mother to the vision of a woman in the role of the president of the country: affectionate, kind, caring, housewife, patient and demanding at the same time. But with all the apparent positiveness of the idea “Woman President of the Mother of Russia”, it is not so clear in terms of consequences for social practice and prospects for female political leadership.

Firstly, the stereotypical expectations of the “maternal role” impose restrictions on the “zone of implementation” of women in politics, limiting it to the traditional and most difficult social problem (which we have on the example of a member of the Government of the Russian Federation G. Karelova, who changed V. Matvienko in this post).

Secondly, it is not difficult to guess that such an image of a woman-president can hardly correspond to a relatively young woman. Most likely, it is assumed that the leader woman will be able to obtain the favor of voters no earlier than 50-55 years. By this age, male politicians are already far ahead, managing to accumulate political capital and overcome several steps of a politician career.

The intermediate position is occupied by work in which discussions about the fundamental opportunity for a woman to be president of Russia end in the conclusion about the inappropriateness of such an outcome of cases. Moreover, feminine characteristics of supporters of the idea of ​​a woman -president consider as arguments “for”, and opponents - as arguments “against”.

(Girl, 9 cl.) “A woman will also be able to cope with the duties of the President of Russia no worse than a man, but not everyone. Women are very emotional by nature. Not everyone can reason sensibly and calmly, like men. A woman, almost any, will be able to become the president of a company, a company, but I think, I think, will not be able to become president. All over the world, units of women who can become worthy presidents of the state ... ”(young man, 11 cells)“ Can a woman be the president of the country? A strange question. After all, in some countries of the world there were women. <...> If you put a modern woman in this framework (requirements for the president), then theoretically she can be the president of the country. The only question is in one thing: will the people choose a female candidacy? Maybe. <...> But if such a question arose in Russia, I believe that the population, without hesitation, would choose a male candidate. <...> And although women are actively interfering in all spheres of society, but still a man remains the main dragic power of the progress of human civilization. Nevertheless, the percentage ratio has changed, increased in favor of women in comparison with the past. This is due to the active conquest of the rights of women with the husband of the Chin and the desire to actively participate in the process of development of the world along with men. But, as the Russian proverb says: "Listen to a woman and do the opposite."

(Girl, 11 cl.) “If you think about it, then leadership abilities, patriotism can be characteristic of both a man and a woman, not to mention hard work and perseverance. But still, a woman is initially a weaker creature than a man, and not only physically. This is the advantage of men - not to show weakness in anything. Of course, a woman in the government should be, but not the president. <...> From all this I want to conclude: a woman is a strong creature, but strong in her own way, not like a man. Having advantages, women have their weaknesses that do not allow them to be president. ”

And finally, the third group is made up of opponents of the idea of ​​a woman president in Russia. As arguments, they use traditional gender stereotypes, which we will consider just below, as well as the distrust of Russian society in the ambitions of women regarding participation in Russian politics.

3. Gender stereotypes are mines of a slow action.

To analyze the gender stereotypes of students - opponents of equal rights of women in politics, we took advantage of the scheme for grouping stereotypes in three blocks: gender stereotypes of modern older ones) Classes regarding the psychological qualities and behavioral properties of women and men.

In almost all works, traditional gender stereotypes of masculinity and femininity are used, including the identification of masculinity with an active-creative, cultural principle, and femininity with passive-real productive, natural. These normative ideas (stereotypes) polarly and hierarchically contrast in the minds of high school students of men and women: men are dominant, independent, competent, self -confident, logical and successful, and women are often more responsible, caring and diligent, but still inconsistent and excessively emotional. In the works of students of all classes, especially young men - opponents of female political leadership, the stereotypes of the inferiority of the female mind, intelligence, emotional redundancy and restraint are used.

(Young man, 11 cl.) “In my opinion, no matter how educated and swift women, she will not be able to become president. The psychology of any woman is largely inferior to the psychology of a man, this is probably the essence. A woman is a fragile and delicate creature, women should be loved and protected. A man is the opposite of a woman. In most cases, a woman cannot withstand a man, in emergency sitting in women, women are more likely to make an incorrect decision. The president must have a solid character inherent in all women. ” (Girl, 9 cl.) “I believe that if a woman had become president in Russia, then, in principle, nothing good would have happened. Firstly, the people would not listen to her. Many would be increditive, suspicious to the woman-president, since women are frivolous and windy by nature. I also think that every country is personified by its president. And they should be a man. A man is the personification of peace of mind, courage, endurance, ingenuity. Although, in principle, there are other examples when the words “woman” and “president” are comparable. For example, Latvia. The president of this country is a woman, and the country is flourishing. ”

Politics (young man, 11 cl.) “... Theoretically, a modern woman can be the president of the country. The only question is, will the people choose a female candidacy? Perhaps given the predominance of the female population, and if this politician is popular. But if such a question arose in Russia, then I believe that the population of our country, without hesitation, would vote for male candidacy. This is predetermined, firstly, by the mentality of a Russian person, secondly, the lack of a suitable candidate, thirdly, history shows the failure of the reign of women with such a state as Russia. <...> As for me, my answer is unequivocal: I would vote for a man, and if there are no good candidates, then against all. ”

It is obvious that modern high school students, despite the apparent supersaid, not only adhere to traditional stereotypes regarding “typically male” and “typically female” personality characteristics, but also believe in their diametrical opposite and superiority of masculine characteristics over feminine.

Gender stereotypes of consolidating family and professional roles in accordance with the gender and related gender stereotypes regarding the differences in the content of labor.

(Girl, 11 cl.) “President - Head of State. And the state should be strong. Therefore, the state should be governed by an irreconcilable, strong-willed, cruel leader. A woman by nature does not have such qualities, although according to the Constitution it has the right to be elected to the president. <...> In my opinion, the role of a woman in life is different. After all, it is difficult to imagine a woman from the nineteenth century, striving for power. She had only homework: housekeeping, raising children, needlework, studying foreign languages. The life of a woman in the 19th century was more calm and correct, without fuss and unnecessary worries. She was more balanced and peaceful. Technical progress in all areas of life has greatly changed the nature of a woman. It has become more versatile and practical. But because of this, she lost part of her feminine nature, her interests became closer to the male. I believe that the state should be so arranged that a woman is more engaged in women's affairs. ”

(Girl, 11 cl.) “A woman and a man are two opposite sex and, accordingly, they have different life achievements. A man is a nurse of the family.

(Young man, 9 cl.) “Of course, the“ woman president ”sounds much worse than“ Mother Woman ”. <...> A man is naturally endowed with qualities that cannot be understood by women. The man was born to rule, protect and provide not only his family, but also the state. A woman would hardly be able to make the most important decision, and especially the one that concerns the issues of defense and personal interests of Russia. ”

(Young man, 9 cl.) “For women, it seems to me, a more calm or invisible work is more suitable (secretary and all in that spirit). In general, what men are weak in. <...> The president’s work is very responsible, and the woman is not able to withstand her. <...> Concluding, I want to say that the only thing a woman can be suitable for is to be the "first lady"! " We are especially alarmed by the vivid manifestations of sexism and male corporate parties in the works of high school students: (young man, 9 cells), many people in Russia want a woman to be president, but, in my opinion, it would not be better from this. Let us recall from the textbook of history the times of the reign of Catherine the Great, when the Russian Empire lost Alaska and Archipelago Spitsbergen (previously called Grumant).

In my opinion, men really do not like it when a woman is eager to manage anything. With age, male people are developing distrust of women. Nevertheless, we must always remember that all the great men, figures of science, art, politicians and sports were born a woman. Therefore, we can assume that women rule this world. Suppose that all the faces of the female on Earth will unite and declare to men around the world a boycott, then we, men, will learn the power of feminists. After all, they can easily arrange the end of the world. And in general: "The husband is a head, wife's neck, where he wants, turns there."

I would like to pay special attention to the myth of an indispensable “loss of femininity” in every fifth work in the event of women in politics. This myth, on the one hand, may be evidence of the inadequacy of high school students about politics as a sphere of professional activity, on the other hand, it is extremely “productively” affects the refusal of girls to consider politics as a sphere of life interests. His negative impact on the self -realization of girls and girls gifted to the political leadership is explained by the superiority of the “phenomenon of love” in the life strategies of the Russians, which, in turn, is inextricably linked with the construct of femininity. In the construct of the femininity of modern high school students and high school students, as essays show, feminine characteristics prevail, borrowed mainly from the canon of femininity, represented in the classical Russian literature of the 19th century and not only in it.

Researchers of the Center for the Gender Education of the Murmansk Pedagogical University persistently urging teachers and participants in the female movement to pay serious attention to the system -forming subjects of school education, which carry the main worldview load - literature and history as factors of traditional gender typification of youth.

Undoubtedly, in school audiences there is a daily exchange of gender messages between peers and peers. The ideas and gender stereotypes set forth in the writings are probably in one form or another repeatedly spoke in teenage companies. Psychologists argue that the impact of adolescence on gender ideals and identity exceeds each other's influence of all other institutions of gender socialization or enhances their influence in a certain direction.

4. War of the sexes ordered?

Gender parity in politics is based on people's ability not only to notice differences in the conditions of the life of women and men, but to recognize the equality of sexes in the distribution of economic, social and political capabilities. To what extent are modern high school students ready for gender partnership, equal cooperation between sexes for the benefit of family and society? An analysis of essays shows that at school, unfortunately, unconsciously supported, mainly a competitive model of sex relations and leadership, which actually does not meet the needs of time and most men and women.

(Young man, 11 cells.) “A modern woman can become a president, but she will have to make a lot of effort and devote her whole life to politics ... Also, in order to become a president, a woman must be a strong enough personality, because she should be able to correctly eliminate competitors and compete with others.”

(Young man, 11 cl.) “Now women are more active, they are constantly in a hurry somewhere,“ climbing ”into politics, into the Duma, into business. There are hardly not to keep track of women now, they are able to feed the whole family themselves, to raise children. ”

(Young man, 11 cl.) “... and although women are actively interfering in all spheres of society, but still men remain the main driving force of the progress of civilization. But in general, the situation is changing. This is due to the active conquest of rights for women in men and the desire of women to actively participate in the development of the world with men. But, as the Russian proverb says: "Listen to a woman and do the opposite."

(Girl, 11 cl.) “I think that there will be no proper respect for a woman-president. Few people will listen to a woman. All the time in Russia, the president was a man. ”

(Girl, 11 cl.) “A woman and a man are two opposite sex and, accordingly, they have different life achievements. A man is a nurse of the family. He must earn money and feed the whole family. The man strives for power, and therefore he has more chances to be a politician than a woman. A woman should give birth to children. ”

(Girl, 11 cl.) “The fact that the woman is weaker sex,” men who are able to feel strong only due to other people's weakness. A woman is weaker than a man only physically, but morally usually the other way around. To work, the president does not need physical strength, so a woman, of course, can and should become president.

A modern woman, unlike a woman of the 19th century, felt the strength in herself, she ceased to be a “second -class man”. A woman of the 21st century learned to combine work and family, has become a full -fledged person. The woman became independent, and this challenges a weak man. "

The analysis of extracts leads to gloomy thoughts. So the clang of swords is heard (to eliminate the competitor, you need strength, competition), the rhetoric of war (win, win the rights, challenge), the groans of the defeated (there will be no respect, the weaker sex, the second -grade person, do not respect, weak man), hostility (women climb, interfere, conquer). What social world, equilibrium and prosperity of Russian society can we talk if the stereotype of separation by the floor and the contrast of the family and public spheres are persistent?

The last of the essays cited the back of the same medal. If the male part demonstrates aggression regarding women's rights to self -realization, then a strong female part demonstrates aggression and realizes the viability of women as an alternative to the failure of men. And also, pay attention, through aggression. Apparently, high school students have not yet known, have not yet known, have not been taught, have not been taught, have not been taught, have no examples for building a language.

Thus, the competitive model of leadership, which continues to be supported by society and the school, is unproductive to achieve the gene

Turnic equality in politics and is very dangerous for the development of society as a whole. The sex war is a latent reality that exists and which manifests itself in business and in politics in the most cruel and unacceptable forms. (In the family, such a model leads to rivalry and violence.) 5. Dreams and realities.

How do gender stereotypes interact with the life plans of high school students? Do they try on gender ideals described above? We turn to the essays-miniatures "I am in 15 years."

In 46 miniatures of girls of grades 9-11 “I am in 15 years” 44 times, the combination “Work and Family” is repeated. The list of professions in which high school students see themselves consists of teachers, psychologists, designers, musicians (music teachers), doctors, accountants-economists, lawyers, makeup artists, and a sociologist and engineer-programmers are mentioned at once. All girls clearly and clearly see their future in the paradigm of double employment (family plus work), each third persistently emphasizes the importance of the family. Time was reflected in a high rating of higher education, in the desire for economic independence, in the desire to “earn good money”. In every fifth work, the word “independence” is found in the sense of economic independence from the parental family, from her husband (man). Many write that they want to earn a lot of money to help their family so that parents do not need. And in every fifth work the thought is repeated to one degree or another: "I do not want to live as my parents live." In every seventh work: "I do not want to live in Russia." And in every second one: "I do not want to live in Murmansk."

Two girls (out of 46) see themselves in the future with housewives and loving mothers, three high school students dream of opening their own business (cosmetic salons and hospital). Love is mentioned in most works as a superior. In almost every work we find: “I want to be loved”, “I will love”, “I will have a beloved husband, my favorite children.” Judging by the context, by the “love”, girls are more mean by warm spiritual and emotional ties than sexual relations. The family in the performances of girls always implies the presence of children. Many people write: "I will marry, and I will have (so many) children."

Thus, it can be assumed that the gender self -awareness of modern high school students is essentially not much from the gender self -awareness of their mothers, despite all the sociocultural and economic shocks of the last decade and the experience of the socialist emancipation of women in the communist regime.

Boys of grades 9-11, 33 miniatures “I am in 15 years”.

Unlike girls, they are more generally presented in 15 years. Every third connects its plans with the creation of its own business, only in every second work the desire to create a family is mentioned. The creation of a family, unlike girls' plans, is most often due to a pragmatic reservation: "If the material situation will allow." That is, the value of the family in young men is not as high as the girls. Family status and the presence of children are not tough among themselves. Unlike their home -made peers, young men more often write about the desire to see the world, go in for sports, have their own hobbies, friends for a fun pastime. Obviously, the boys, unlike girls, plan a socially unlimited lifestyle. In the school classes, as it is easy to guess, there is an exchange of information about life plans. Thus, not only the values ​​of the sexes are absorbed, but also their ratio. And as you can see, they are so far hierarchized and unimaginated. Judges and girls, judging by the answers, choose different life routes, different life strategies. We only have to be surprised that in general someone will marry, families are being created, and that life in Russia continues.

In no work of high school students, the desire for political leadership is directly expressed, but the vision by young people as the organizers of their own firms indicates the presence of leadership ambitions.

It is obvious that the ideas of modern high school students regarding the gender roles of women and men in the family and society, the nature of labor and the approved spheres of professional self -realization, mainly correspond to the traditional gender stereotypes. Politics is not considered by girls or boys as a sphere of professional self -realization, in principle, an attractive professional sphere in particular. At the same time, boys plan a socially less limited lifestyle than their classmates. Sociocultural changes in the gender installations of modern high school students were reflected mainly in the normativeness of the sexual model of the “working mother”, which remains the leading normative model of “modern femininity”.

Thus, despite some liberalism in relation to part of high school students to the idea of ​​female political leadership, the interaction of ideas about the preference of masculine characteristics for a politician with a hierarchy of genderly ideas about masculinity and femininity in most students creates an unfavorable situation to form a positive attitude towards female political leadership and gender equal rights in Russian policy. The optics of gender stereotypes prevents young people from clearly seeing and evaluating changes taking place in society, distorting the picture of both reality and the future, and reduces the level of social competence of graduates.

PS

As often happens in work with schoolchildren, the results obtained went far beyond the direct tasks of gender research. Some of them have, in our opinion, no less important than planned goals. At first glance, they do not have a pronounced gender specificity, but create a background and, most importantly, are directly related to one of the acute problems of the modern school to educate civil self -awareness and social competence of graduates.

The following observations include the following results: 1. In high school students, the image of political activity (politics) is formed as a “bad”, dishonest, criminal sphere, in which interaction is connected with cruelty, rigidity, double standards and violence. Often used cliches "Politics - Dirty business."

2. Political leadership is associated with such norms of behavior as strict struggle, competition, Machiavellism, cruelty. Moreover, the hard competitive leadership style in Russia, according to high school students, has no options.

3. The works of high school students are amazing with the weak ability of the authors to analyze, compare, correlate, derive the investigations from the causes. Нередко заключения противоречат предваряющим посылкам.

Журнал «WE/МЫ», № 25 (41), 2003 г. Несколько слов в заключение: Сторонницам и сторонникам гендерного равноправия в российской политике с необходимостью придется обратить свое внимание на школу как наиболее массовый и до сей поры обязательный для посещения институт социализации подрастающего поколения. С учетом вышеизложенного можно делать разнообразные выводы и рекомендации, в зависимости от целевой группы, которой они будут адресованы, от поставленных целей и задач, от конкретной ситуации и много другого. Адресуясь к женскому движению, ограничимся следующим заключением: 1) У современных старшеклассников складывается негативный образ политики, который препятствует формированию гражданской активности и зрелости молодого поколения россиян, установлению общественного контроля за деятельностью государства со стороны граждан. Необходимо изменить представления школьников о сущности политики и политической деятельности целом, раскрыть их значение для жизни каждого человека и показать привлекательность политики как сферы профессиональной самореализации для девушек и женщин в частности.

2) Через школу продолжает поддерживаться гендерное неравенство в российском обществе и в российской политике в частности. Стереотип непригодности женщин к политическому лидерству чрезвычайно живуч, усваивается школьниками в процессе социализации как одно из проявлений гендерной асимметрии в обществе и образовании. Для основополагающих позитивных изменений необходимо продвинуть гендерный подход в школьное образование в принципе и парламентское образование старшеклассников в частности. 2 3) Анализ сочинений показывает, что в школе, к сожалению, бессознательно поддерживается, в основном, конкурентная модель отношений полов и лидерства, которая на самом деле не соответствует времени, потребностям большинства как мужчин, так и женщин, усиливает противостояние полов и гендерную конфликтность в семье и обществе. Необходимы специальные программы обучения молодежи кооперативному лидерству, умению сотрудничать, создавать команды и достигать успеха на основе гендерного паритета и гендерной толерантности.