Emancipation of women, what is it (in simple words) emancipated, what is it?

Women's emancipation is a direction of socio-political reform movement, the basis of which is the desire to liberate women from oppression based on gender. The emancipation of women in simple words means granting them full equality in all social manifestations, both at the level of the state and the public, and in work and family life. In essence, this movement requires equal rights with men, the opportunity to participate in choosing the future course of the movement (both in politics and in one’s own family), as well as the active transformation of reality.

History of women's emancipation in the USA and Europe

At the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century, the female sex did not demand much: the right to vote in elections, to education and “male” work.
The fight for these and other rights began with the publication of John Stuart Mill's book The Enslavement of Women. John was trying to convey a truth that was simple for us, but difficult for people of those times, which was that a woman can be responsible for herself. And he did it! The women bought the book one after another, until one day they all gathered strength and began a movement against gender stereotypes. Residents of the USA and Europe were the first to start this movement, although some already at the end of the 19th century stopped wearing corsets and received higher education. Women took radical measures. They organized rallies, demonstrations and hunger strikes, smashed store windows and even burned public buildings! Many protesters were taken to prisons, where women staged a mass hunger strike. In such situations, they were force-fed through feeding tubes in the nose. When the government saw the horrific images from the prison, it ordered the release of the rioting ladies. Suffragettes were caught, imprisoned and released back. All this continued for several years until 1918, when women were allowed to take part in state politics. But there was a catch: only married women over 30 could vote.

Women could work in “male” jobs only when men went to the front during the First and Second World Wars. After the arrival of the male population from hostilities, women had to vacate their jobs. Despite this, by the early 60s women could participate in economic and social life. After gaining basic rights, the second wave of feminists began to eliminate the differences between men and women in people's minds. They didn't like it when women were turned into so-called "commodities." They sued pornographic magazines featuring nude women, and in 1968 they protested the annual Miss America pageant by throwing away bras, stockings and makeup. By this they wanted to say that a woman does not have to be “beautiful” for someone.

At the moment, women in the US and Europe occupy 48% of jobs, and wages for women have been reduced by 33 centers per dollar.

From a man's point of view

Men have firmly internalized the fact that women crave equality. But for some reason this did not inspire them to heroic deeds, but, on the contrary, calmed them down. Men's logic is simple: an emancipated woman and a family are incompatible, so picking up the keys to this fortress is pointless. As a result, men forgot about what courtship is and stopped carrying their chosen ones in their arms. Even intimacy ceased to be something special. On average, it is expected already on the third date. Is this the reality that a woman dreams of? In the case when a man acquires feminine traits, his half, willy-nilly, becomes emancipated.

History of women's emancipation in Russia

The real struggle for equality here began in 1859 after the appearance of such wonderful people as M.V. Trubnikova and N.V. Stasova, namely after their new idea “Society of Cheap Apartments”. In Russia, women primarily wanted not the right to participate in the political life of the country, but economic independence. The clients of the “Society of Cheap Apartments” activity were mainly engaged in handicrafts and development. Thanks to Stasova, the Russian intelligentsia received the right to attend women's courses, and at the end of the 19th century, already 700 Russian women were studying at the University of Zurich.

Despite this, most women themselves had stereotypes in their heads about “women’s destiny” and did not fight particularly diligently for equality. But in 1917, for the first time, women were allowed to vote, keep their maiden name, get divorced and have abortions. But after the Second World War, the problem with the birth rate was critical. All previously permitted activities were prohibited, and the production of contraceptives was stopped. A global change occurred in 1980 with the emergence of feminist organizations that were completely copied from Europe. Also in 1979, the magazine “Women and Russia” was published, the circulation of which was completely withdrawn.

Classification by type

We can distinguish the main types of emancipated women. They are conditional and adjustable, but the main features of the type are very clearly manifested.

The first type is woman-man. This is an extremely independent woman. Careerist. She prefers a business style, moderately restrained, but with a touch of sexuality. She drives a car herself and actively uses all kinds of gadgets. She is not particularly demanding in love, but it will take a long time to achieve it, since she loves freedom very much.

The second type is the catwoman. Despite the flirtatious name, this type also does not hold on to a man. "Cat" is independent and self-confident. She is clearly aware of her own sexuality, but improves herself solely for her own pleasure. The cat loves herself, she is too busy to listen to other people's opinions.

Finally, the third type is the feminist woman. Unlike the previous ones, she has a negative attitude towards the stronger sex and takes with hostility any encroachment on her territory. She does not accept overtly sexual clothing and cooks and cleans very rarely. Prefers fast food.

Prominent figures in the fight for equality

Clara Zetkin and Rosa Luxemburg are two of the most famous personalities in the history of emancipation. They are often talked about even in schools. Clara and Rose were two close friends who were lucky enough to meet in Paris. At the International Conference in 1910, Clara proposed declaring International Women's Day, an idea supported by Rose. But the problem was the date of this holiday, there were 3 options: March 8, March 9 and March 19. Only in 1914 was it possible to decide on the date; the holiday of the struggle for equality was declared on March 8, and in 1975 the holiday was given international status.

Jewish population

This is a process of liberation from restrictions on the rights of Jews and representatives of the Jewish faith.

The phenomenon starts in the 18th century. Before this, Jews lived separately, in ghettos or separate areas of cities. They had limited rights compared to the surrounding population. Some activities were not available to them.

Print "Napoleon emancipates the Jews", 1806

Jews first achieved equal rights in France during the Revolution.

The emancipation of Jews in Europe lasted for a century. In different countries, its level was determined by the size of the Jewish population.

This process took place most dramatically in Central and Eastern Europe. She was hampered by conservative sentiments, which often took chauvinistic forms.

In the Russian Empire, a change in policy towards Jews was part of the reforms of Alexander II. Russian Jewry made an impressive social breakthrough in the 20-30s of the twentieth century. But this process has stimulated the emergence of various anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.

What it is

The concept of emancipation gained its prominence in the context of the struggle of the female half for their rights, but this term denotes liberation from any dependence, prejudice or oppression. This category is used in sociological spheres and characterizes not only the liberation of women, but also the release of children from paternal authority and the recognition of their legal capacity.

Regarding various nationalities, the concept is used to denote the abolition of oppression in the rights of various peoples (this is especially clearly seen in the process of emancipation of the Jewish peoples). In addition to human spheres, emancipation is used in any areas where it is necessary to emphasize independence or freedom of independent expression, even in music this characterizes the absence of the need to fall into dissonance, which can lead to the birth of new creative works.

In addition to the refusal of inadequate power, emancipation presupposes the restoration of the legal sphere and the assignment of equal responsibilities. Both parties must comply with these principles, i.e. It does not happen that only a woman or a child demands their independence and equality, but the person who theoretically can infringe on rights must respect freedom and demand corresponding fulfillment of obligations from the other party.

Emancipation, as a universal human movement, implies a voluntary renunciation of oppression. This is a very important point, since previously a person could be formally released from duties or a derogatory attitude, but in fact transfer the ownership of his life and decisions to another, or be influenced at the level of psychological pressure and manipulation.

In its original historical context, the term was used to refer to children who were separated from their parents and ceased to be under their influence and care. Only over time did this become synonymous with equality and began to spread to various social groups whose freedoms were infringed for one reason or another. The most common is women's emancipation and the desire of women to obtain equal freedoms.

Strong, brave, like a white swan...

What should a strong woman be like? Each person will answer this question differently. The most frequently mentioned character traits are determination, endurance, efficiency, the ability to quickly navigate a situation and be responsible for one’s actions. It turns out that femininity and tenderness are no longer valuable?

You can argue with this endlessly, but it’s still worth trying to paint the image of a modern successful woman. She is beautiful and well-groomed, loves her job, or at least tolerates it, and sets goals to achieve new career heights. She has a large wardrobe, as she often goes out and cannot afford to show off things from last season. In addition, a modern lady always has her own opinion on any matter, and therefore in many moments she can bypass a man.

But the personal life of such a lady remains in question. If she is so successful, then next to her there should be a man equal or superior to her. And if you can’t find one, then a strong woman risks being left alone.

Women's emancipation movement in the 19th century

The history of women's emancipation officially began during the French Revolution, but it cannot be said that such ideas only arose then; rather, it was a convenient moment for a revolution in consciousness and the creation of new social and legal foundations. Femin tried to defend their rights and gain new levels of freedom by acting underground - they organized demonstrations and strikes, gathered closed meetings and circles where they discussed the role of their own opinion and the possibilities of realizing their personal resource. Due to the official ban on women influencing politics, they dressed in men's suits and thus tried to change the current legislation, which caused violent indignation on the part of men. After such antics, meetings and protests were officially banned, and those who supported such actions were punished as violators of the current regime.

Representatives for women's emancipation did not stop after the bans were imposed, and in the end they managed to defend their own point of view and achieve a shift in equality. Naturally, initially, each new opportunity was won with great difficulty, and to this day there are areas where emancipated figures have not yet reached. The centuries-old structure of patriarchy, the perception of women as a lower being have been imprinted for a long time in history, legislation and psychology; it is impossible to eradicate from the psyche and the global way of life in one day.

In addition to the independent women's movement to gain additional freedoms, economic development in the 19th century meant that more and more workers were needed in mills and factories. It was this new industry that turned women from home hens into hired workers who performed their duties on an equal basis with men, for which they received appropriate remuneration. Intellectual development also progressed, and more and more women began to take advantage of formal consent to receive education - scientists and doctors of science began to appear, many went to teach at universities or made new scientific discoveries.

We can say that the socio-economic situation and development of many countries helped the development of the emancipated movement from within, since under other external conditions the women's revolt would have been simply suppressed and everything would have returned to normal. Revolutionary periods left many prohibitions in the past forever and provided opportunities for self-realization, but at the same time new problems emerged, both at the personal level and at the general social level. The change in the role of women has a direct and very clear impact on the system of the entire society, on its further development and framework of existence.

The beauty of being independent

So, maybe an independent woman will not survive in the modern world? After all, everyone around her is opposed to her and unanimously repeats that without a husband, children and eternal borscht on the stove, life is empty and meaningless. But emancipation does not imply a complete rejection of male attention, a clear protest against everything, or other radical moments. An independent woman is only respectful not only of others, but of herself. She remembers her desires and can neglect work for the sake of relaxation. She values her family, but does not bend in front of her. This is the golden mean and the very line beyond which emancipation goes to extremes.

Problems and consequences of women's emancipation

The positive aspects of emancipation were clearly outlined back in revolutionary times, now they continue to be talked about at every opportunity when new levels of equality are defended, but to be fair, it is worth noting that the new organization of society has brought new problems.

Having received equal rights after long periods of prohibition, many women began to behave like teenagers whose parents had gone to the country. Uncontrolled consumption of alcohol and smoking, work in heavy industries, on the one hand, harm her health, and on the other, gradually destroy all of humanity. The female body quickly becomes dependent, copes worse with the processing of poisons, and as a result, not only the individual fate of the woman is destroyed, but also her children, if such can appear at all with impaired health.

Equality also influenced family relationships, where people agreed to jointly fulfill family obligations. At this stage, there are already official studies and confirmed data that families living according to the old way of life are less likely to get divorced. The reason lies in the fact that men internally do not want to meet halfway, cook dinners or wash the floors, while women get a full-time work schedule and simply do not have time to do this, which leads to constant conflicts. If responsibilities are divided not by time, but by functionality, then this begins to resemble work agreements, which ultimately deprives the relationship of the brightness of feelings, spontaneity of manifestation and the original romantic component.

All this only adds sharp edges, and with the fact that women have gained financial independence, they no longer strive to maintain relationships by any means, but easily break up. This cannot be said that this is definitely negative, because living with a person who constantly humiliates one’s dignity does not make sense and now there is an opportunity to put an end to this, but at some points people stop appreciating the relationship itself in principle.

At the psychological level, gender distortion occurs, women become more masculine, which in turn strengthens the feminine part of men. Previously clear boundaries between the sexes are being erased, society is becoming androgynous, and the number of heterosexual relationships is increasing. Men are increasingly taking advantage of women's rights, for example, to go on maternity leave, take care of the child, learn embroidery or dancing. This cannot be clearly considered negative; it’s just that at a turning point, society is not yet ready to accept the changes that are taking place.

Now there are quite a large number of people who live according to the old concepts of masculine and feminine, they are trying to return everything to its original state, which only causes conflicts. Women themselves, taking advantage of their careers, overcoming difficulties that are inaccessible to men, achieving success and cultivating active masculine qualities in themselves, begin to feel a longing for a strong shoulder.

Within those who fought for freedom and independence, there is an internal memory of those times when it was possible not to take on so much responsibility and hide behind a strong back. In the real world, where women are becoming stronger, men do not increase their strength, but weaken - the law of conservation of energy, which no one has taken into account.

The overall workload on a woman eventually increased, since the previous household and family responsibilities did not go away, only now professional ones were added to them. The negative side is that men refuse help, pointing out that everyone is independent and can help themselves.

If earlier a woman simply wrote a list of everything she needed, now she still has to purchase it, and then keep the household and work in good condition. Where men do not understand the inner meaning of the concept, and there is no help from the nanny, housekeeper and other people, the woman, through her own efforts, will fall into even greater slavery, from which it is impossible to get out, since she only blames herself.

As in any reform endeavors, the main issue remains the correct presentation of information and the absence of distortion of meaning. Where this is done correctly and carefully, women have exceptional opportunities for development, fulfillment and the opportunity to positively impact the world. In those situations where the concept is distorted by women, men or the authorities themselves, concepts are substituted and what was planned to improve life ends up not only making it more difficult, but in some situations even destroying it. Therefore, if you personally know that your friend will not help you around the house and adheres to old traditions, then it makes sense to take care of yourself and choose only that job that will bring pleasure and give a lot of resources and free time, and shift the responsibility for providing for the family on his shoulders.

Emancipation is only one of the possible paths, an option for developing one’s own life, and how much to use it must be decided independently. At the level of the state and the legislative framework, women's freedom to realize is always defended thanks to the efforts of revolutionaries.

I All-Russian Women's Congress

The main task for the RZHBO was the organization of the first women's congress. Firstly, the need for this is long overdue. Secondly, Shabanova planned to create an umbrella organization uniting all women's groups in Russia. This was necessary not only to coordinate activities, but also to formally join the influential International Women's Council.

On December 10, 1908, the Congress was opened, and 1,053 delegates from all over the country took part in it. The women themselves looked for money to hold the congress. Most of the participants were from the educated intelligentsia, 84% were educated.

There was also a group of revolutionary women workers led by Alexandra Kollontai, who had the goal of discrediting the congress as “bourgeois”. It is characteristic that Kollontai took part in the event on her own initiative; the RSDLP committee did not support her, seeing this as a passion for “excessive” feminism.

The work of the congress was divided into four sections:
1st section - Activities of women in Russia in various fields.
2nd section - Economic status of women and ethical issues in the family and society.
3rd section - Political and civil status of women.
4th section - Women's education in Russia and abroad.

During tough discussions (the women's movement had already split along political lines), more than 20 resolutions were adopted: on insurance of workers, protection of motherhood and childhood, changes in marriage legislation and political rights.

The resonance of the congress was enormous, it was closely followed both in Russia and in the world. Dozens of publications and statements by politicians - both enthusiastic and derogatory.

The First All-Russian Congress was followed by the First All-Russian Congress on Combating Trafficking in Women (1910), and the First All-Russian Congress on Women's Education (St. Petersburg, 1912). The Second All-Russian Women's Congress, planned in Moscow for 1913, did not take place. It took place only 100 years later, in 2008, and was not remembered as anything remarkable for a wide range of women.

Emancipation (sociology)

This term has other meanings, see Emancipation.

Emancipation (Latin emancipatio) is the renunciation of various kinds of social dependencies, including children from parents, women from men, men from women, the cessation of restrictions, the acquisition of adequate rights and responsibilities.

This word itself comes from the Latin verb emancipare - to free a child from parental authority, in a broader sense - to renounce any powers or property rights, and formally these powers and rights were not destroyed, but were transferred to another person, and the emancipated person did not gain freedom, but a new ruler. Such an action - renunciation of one’s powers and transferring them to another person - was a legal act recorded in the Laws of the Twelve Tables, and was called emancipatio.

Later, they began to talk about emancipation not only in relation to Roman law, but also called similar actions in other legal systems, for example, in German law. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, children's emancipation began to be understood as the liberation of poor children from backbreaking labor (on a par with adults).

Is it possible to return matriarchy?

Once upon a time, women took over society. Afterwards this period was called matriarchy. Many people today believe that this was the golden age of humanity. The most ancient literary sources about matriarchal societies are the ancient Greek myths about the Amazons. These strong, militant women are a fantasy of the authors, but they inspire many modern women to live a free lifestyle, refuse to have children and prioritize their careers.

But the fiction could be true, as recently discovered burials in southern Russia confirm. There, in the mounds, the graves of noble women were found, inside of which there were precious weapons, swords, bows and arrows. In addition to weapons, the graves contained bronze and silver mirrors, as well as gold earrings, spindle parts and bone combs. What does it mean? That women remained tender and loving beauty. So how are modern Amazons different from them? It turns out that the history of emancipation has not undergone much change.

Full legal capacity of minors

Main article: Emancipation of minors

Emancipation of a minor - declaring him fully capable by a decision of the guardianship and trusteeship authority or the court upon reaching the age of sixteen.

In the Kyrgyz Republic (can you decipher the abbreviation - Peasant Russia?), a citizen who is a minor can be declared legally competent after he is issued a permit.

In the Kyrgyz Republic, a minor who has reached sixteen years of age can be declared fully capable if he works under an employment contract, including a contract, or with the consent of his parents, adoptive parents or guardian, or is engaged in entrepreneurial activities.

The declaration of a minor as fully capable also occurs when the minor enters into marriage, while upon divorce, full legal capacity is retained. However, if a marriage is declared invalid, the court may decide that the minor spouse loses full legal capacity from the moment determined by the court. Marriage is not a basis for considering a person emancipated.

What should not even emancipated teenagers do?

Obtaining emancipated status does not guarantee a teenager the full range of rights.

The teenager will still not be able to buy alcohol and cigarettes in stores. Emancipation does not reduce the minimum age limit for purchasing alcohol and tobacco products: it is 18 years old.

Also, only after reaching 18 years of age will the teenager have access to:

Obtaining a driver's license category A, B, C.
Participation in voting and referendums.
Nomination of candidates for positions of state and municipal employees.

To run for State Duma deputies or obtain a category D license, you will have to wait until you turn 21 years old. For presidential candidates, the minimum threshold will be 35 years.

Women's emancipation

A meeting in Petrograd demanding that women be given the right to be elected, February 1917

Women's emancipation is the provision of equal rights to women in public, work and family life. Equality presupposes the right of women to education, the right to vote and be elected to government bodies, the right to work and equal wages. See also Suffragettes, Women's Suffrage.

With the beginning of the industrial revolution, women's factory labor became economically profitable and in some industries (textiles, clothing, hosiery and tobacco) a demand for female labor appeared: such female employment in the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century was characterized by the involvement primarily of unmarried women in low-skilled jobs. work. The massive entry of women into the labor market in Russia occurred after the Bolsheviks came to power, and in the West after World War II. In 1948, 32% of economically active women in the United States were working. In 1999, this figure reached 60% (and among women aged 15 to 54 years - 75.4%). By the 1950s, half of the able-bodied women of the USSR were involved in socially organized labor, and by the end of the 1980s, almost 90%, including students.

In literature: Emancipated women.

I don’t want to work, but I want a dress!

Perhaps the emancipated woman is an artificially created phenomenon. It’s just that ladies strive to remind themselves, to stir up the hunter’s instinct in men, but they themselves want to feel inner freedom. But a truly modern lady experiences too much social pressure. She owes everyone and always. Must study well to be an example for younger brothers. She must build a career so as not to become a “clown” without the beginnings of self-realization. At the golden age - 25-30 years - a woman must get married and give birth to a child, otherwise other people will call her an old maid. A woman spends her entire life on personal care, grueling sports and cosmetic procedures. It turns out that there is no time for rest. And here “emancipation” comes to the rescue, adhering to which, you can give up obligations and at least devote time to yourself.

On the verge of revolution

By 1917, the Russian women's movement was functioning successfully, and without the Bolsheviks (the Bolshevik women's movement was closed in 1915). Because of the war, the number of female workers increased sharply, driving courses opened in 1915, and the first female pilots appeared in 1912. An umbrella organization, the National Women's Council, was created.

The provisional government regularly made concessions: in just six months, women were allowed to serve as lawyers and juries, equal pay was guaranteed, and projects for women's universities appeared.

The huge women's demonstration with which we began our story was not without problems, but ended in success. Already on April 15, 1917, the Provisional Government adopted a resolution “On the conduct of elections of public city councils, on local city administrations,” according to which all citizens over 20 years of age, without distinction of nationality or religion, were granted voting rights. In April, two female councilors were elected in the Vologda region.