Women are worried by discrimination of men

Lyubov Shtyleva

On the 5th of February there was a seminar held in the crisis center "Priyut" ("Shelter") dedicated to the theme "Masculinism as a threat for men and women". The seminar was opened with the discussion of the problem of discrimination of men. In the recent years is has been typical to discuss the problem of women’s discrimination.

The participants of the seminar were surprised to find out that traditional gender stereotypes and gender hierarchy of the Russian society is hard on men, which does not seem to be realized by men as well. Women believe that it is specifically due to the outdated cultural norms and views considering the role and place of genders still preserved in the Russian society, that men’s human rights are abused. The latter include free choice of one’s way in life, profession, guarantees of the safety of life, full personal realization in the family and relationship with children.

Women believe that the state and society are discriminating men:

- making all of them join the service in the Armed Forces without taking into account their readiness, abilities and without suggesting possible alternatives;

- men are discriminated in their right to retirement. This is especially flagrant because the average life expectancy of men in Russia is 5-7 years less than the retirement age;

- there is pronounced segregation of men in highly injurious and dangerous professions, industries with harmful working conditions (base metals production, chemical industry, working in mines, oil and gas production, woodcutting etc.) Keeping on with working conditions that are hard and injurious for human health and neglect of the needs of a person in these industries are masked by so-called "man’s mission", are thoughtlessly romanticized by the mass-media booked by departments and actual employers;

- the judiciary law in Russian courts is traditionally derogatory to fathers’ rights in divorces, giving mothers the unconditional benefit in the question of further upbringing of children;

- many men die in the young age, do not stand the strain specifically due to the society, the family and environment demanding of them to follow the standards of the "superhero", active and successful in his career and having high income as well as accomplishing feats in intimate life.

Analyzing various situations, the women came to the conclusion that they all had in the base the masculine, non-personal "force" approach which keeps to cripple lives of both men and women. In order to cast it off the conscience of both genders should be changed. The women decided to suggest that men should take part in the "White ribbon" campaign which was commenced three years ago in the neighboring Norway. The campaign has grown into the world’s largest movement which unites men to whom violence to women and violence in general is loathsome. The women living in Murmansk have already conferred with several male psychologists and heads of fitness clubs and have obtained their principal agreement to participate in this initiative.