Feminism Must Play a Key Role in Ending Moscow’s Authoritarianism and Aggression, Domańska Says

Paul Goble
    Staunton, Dec. 15 – Russia will remain an authoritarian and aggressive state as long as its political culture remains rooted in hegemonic masculinity, Maria Domańska argues; and thus, “feminist politics could help break the patriarchal paradigm” that keeps Russia on its current path both domestically and internationally.
    The scholar at Warsaw’s Centre for Eastern Studies adds that “the war against Ukraine is the most brutal example of the patriarchal culture of violence which permeates the Russian political system,” one manifested in “a cult of strongman rule, war and territorial conquest, hatred, and the romanticization of criminality” (ridl.io/ru/u-putinizma-ne-zhenskoe-litso/).
    According to Domańska, “the Kremlin is pursuing the neo-totalitarian goal of deepening the atomization of society and turning it into a homogeneous mass that declaratively rallies around the head of state” with women being “objective and expected to conform to ‘patriotic femininity, their main function being to produce cannon fodder for future wars.”
“In this highly ideologized political environment, sexism goes hand in hand with «internal colonialism». Formally a federation, Russia is in reality a highly centralised state in which the needs and interests of regions and local communities are disregarded, their resources are plundered and discrimination against non-Russian ethno-national groups is systemic,” she says.
Moreover, she continues, “the Kremlin’s foreign policy is also tainted with sexism and neo-colonialism: Russia’s war against Ukraine and hybrid warfare against the West have a very strong gendered dimension. State propaganda portrays Putin as an alpha male contrasted with «effeminate» Western leaders and ‘weak’ women.’”
Russian feminists have organized against the war, but their agenda is far larger because ehy recognize that “any sustainable political change in Russia must be based on gender equality,” something far more comprehensive that the usual ideas about political liberalization as advocated by opposition Russian politicians.
Few senior male opposition figures understand that, Domanska says; but there is a growing awareness among young opposition leader that “talking about ‘democracy’ without respecting women’s rights is an oxymoron” and doomed to fail.” Only if women’s rights are respected will any future democratization lift all boats and not just a favored few.