About an Honorary Citizen and Happy Mother: The Evolution of the Image of Soviet Woman in the 1930s

The images constructed in the Soviet period occupy a special place in contemporary Russian culture. Our culture retains links with them whether they continue to exist or attempts are made to deny or overcome them. The article is devoted to the formation of the concept of “Soviet man”, which is often interpreted in a generalized sense in modern Humanities. The novelty of the research is that it focuses on the ima­ge of “Soviet woman”, a gender stereotype introduced by all power of propaganda machine. The work recorded the enrichment of the “working woman” ima­ge with new meanings of “socially active mother”, which appeared in the 1930s. According to the author, this change of the power discourse is based on the implementation of the “social motherhood” project. As a result, the constructed image of the woman “libera­ted from domestic slavery and working socially active mother” became a model and broadcasted by propaganda during the next two decades. In fact, “liberation and equality” declared in the 1920s turned into excuse of the double burden. Remaining a shock worker and social acti­vist, she should comply with ideal of a healthy mother with a healthy child. This is how the ideal Soviet woman appeared, who does everything and is able to do everything, achieves everything herself and actively realizes the opportunities provided by the Soviet power.

The sources of the study were articles, letters, reports and illustrations published in 1930—1935 in the magazine “Rabotnitsa”, issued by the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of the Bolsheviks. The author chose this magazine because it had a targeted gender audience, a considerable circulation (about 350,000 copies) and was published three times a month.

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5. Shchelkanova M. For a Healthy Child, for a Cultural Family, Rabotnitsa [The Woman Worker], 1935, no. 8—9, pp. 8—9 (in Russ.).

6. The Joy of Motherhood, Rabotnitsa [The Woman Worker], 1935, no. 26, p. 7 (in Russ.).

7. Chistova A., Morozova P. Our Children. A Competition for the Best Education of Children, Rabotnitsa [The Woman Worker], 1935, no. 5—6, p. 18 (in Russ.).

8. Klimova M.V. I Am Against Abortion. An Article by the Chair of the Factory Committee of the Frunze Factory (Moscow), Rabotnitsa [The Woman Worker], 1935, no. 17, p. 12 (in Russ.).

9. Dobyrn M. I Have Raised and Educated Eight Shock Workers, Rabotnitsa [The Woman Worker], 1935, no. 17, p. 13 (in Russ.).

10. Abaza V.S. I Am Raising my Three Daughters in a Cultural Atmosphere, Rabotnitsa [The Woman Worker], 1935, no. 17, p. 16 (in Russ.).

11. Filippova E. Holiday Home for Pregnant Women, Rabotnitsa [The Woman Worker], 1935, no. 18, p. 12 (in Russ.).

12. Sirotova-Kozanchenko Z.A. I Am Against Abortion Too, Rabotnitsa [The Woman Worker], 1935, no. 22, p. 13 (in Russ.).

13. Kirsik M.F. I Gave Birth in a Maternity Home! Rabotnitsa [The Woman Worker], 1935, no. 11, p. 11 (in Russ.).

14. Filippova E. Institute for Mother and Child Protection, Rabotnitsa [The Woman Worker], 1935, no. 17, pp. 6—8 (in Russ.).

15. Babushkina A.N. We Will Open a Children’s Canteen, Rabotnitsa [The Woman Worker], 1935, no. 20, p. 6 (in Russ.).

16. Kalnitsky. We Are Improving the Range of Children’s Clothing, Rabotnitsa [The Woman Worker], 1935, no. 11, p. 12 (in Russ.).

17. Working Shockingly, Resting Culturally, Rabotnitsa [The Woman Worker], 1935, no. 5—6, p. 32 (in Russ.).

18. The Future of Soviet Children is Joyful! Rabotnitsa [The Woman Worker], 1935, no. 26, p. 5 (in Russ.).

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21. Vyatkina. I Received the Order of the Red Banner of Labor for my Work, Rabotnitsa [The Woman Worker], 1935, no. 5—6, p. 11 (in Russ.).

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