Women of Russian fascism

A special operation is a special operation, but a scandal is on schedule. Thunder broke out around Zelensky's now banned interview - Russian feminists are outraged that not a single woman participated in the interview. In addition, today you can often come across the opinion that "the protest has a woman's face." If only more women's voices were heard in politics, we would live in a completely different country, wouldn't we? There really are enough brave women journalists and activists in Russia. However, I believe that women play a much larger role in Russian society than is commonly thought. And often not at all positive. And it will not even be about the usual officials, judges and prosecutors.

I remember once, in order to study the French Revolution, I studied the letters of a French woman. Rosalie Julien was a representative of the Parisian bourgeoisie, a supporter of the revolution and the Enlightenment, a lover of Rousseau. At the same time, she left practically no traces in public life (especially after the Jacobins issued a decree that the business of a real republican woman is to raise new citizens, and not hang around at parliamentary hearings). Actually, the letters are the only evidence that she existed at all. However, judging by the letters, she took an active political position in her family: she argued with her husband about philosophy and politics, raised her sons in the spirit of "republican virtues", etc. And it was in this that she herself saw her social mission. How many such wives and mothers were there who influenced the formation of the young republic without participating in public life? A sort of "hidden women of the French revolution."

Recently, an impressive interview with the mother of a National Guardsman who died in Ukraine appeared on the DW website. Summary: there was such a good boy, he served in intelligence, after the service he wanted to join the Federal Penitentiary Service, but got a job in the Russian Guard, beat the opposition throughout the country (this is told with pride), then went to Ukraine, returned in a coffin. Further, all the beauty of domestic propaganda: everything was done correctly, if we had not started the "operation", then the Ukrainians would have "bombed us", now it is necessary to continue to the bitter end. Here, I suppose everything is as in the case of Rosalie Julien, only with a minus sign. This woman has a hidden influence, not participating in public life. She hardly expresses her opinion even on classmates, but in the family her influence was great. Under her influence, the son grew into a fan of beating dissenters with a truncheon. And the question is: how many more such mothers and wives are scattered around Russia who, after listening to TV, then pour the poison of propaganda into the ears of their sons and husbands? And they bring up in their loved ones something completely opposite to "republican virtues"? A sort of "hidden women of Russian fascism." Judging by various other materials (oh-oh-oh, fake-fake!) - there are quite a few of them. If only one of our respected gender researchers would undertake to study this issue!

Mihail Pojarsky 2022-03-29