{"id":13478,"date":"2022-04-12T15:54:35","date_gmt":"2022-04-12T15:54:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.golive.clarku.edu\/news\/2022\/04\/12\/vladimir-putin-uses-gender-rights-to-justify-war-in-ukraine\/"},"modified":"2025-04-04T13:59:46","modified_gmt":"2025-04-04T17:59:46","slug":"vladimir-putin-uses-gender-rights-to-justify-war-in-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/2022\/04\/12\/vladimir-putin-uses-gender-rights-to-justify-war-in-ukraine\/","title":{"rendered":"Vladimir Putin uses gender rights to justify war in Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n \n

Masculinity a central part of Putin\u2019s rise to power<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n Professor Valerie Sperling\n

Through his years in power, Vladimir Putin’s regime has clung close to the concept of masculinity and conventional norms of gender and sexuality. Since launching a war in Ukraine in February, Putin has referenced “gender freedoms” to justify Russia’s attacks.<\/p>\n

In an April 11 article for The Conversation<\/a>, Valerie Sperling<\/a>, a Clark professor of political science<\/a>, and co-authors assert that Putin sees anyone who seeks gender and sexuality rights as anti-Russian. It’s a method he’s used to control Russian citizens and in addition to explaining the war.<\/p>\n

“Putin’s ire at Ukraine for its assertion of autonomy, including moves toward democracy and human rights<\/a>, is fuelled by his patriarchal belief that Ukraine’s proper ‘feminine’ role was to submit to the will of its stronger neighbour,” the authors write.<\/p>\n

When Putin rose to the presidency, his background with the KGB and interest in fitness were seen as “macho.” It made masculinity central to his regime’s legitimacy.<\/p>\n

Gender rights are “explicitly democratic,” write the authors, “so they threaten authoritarian regimes<\/a> like Russia’s that rely on traditional, unequal gender roles, heteronormativity and, especially, the cult of masculinity.” Recently far-right groups like the Male State have applauded the invasion of Ukraine while feminist groups and activists have led resistance efforts.<\/p>\n

“Regardless of whether these activists are using stereotypical gender roles (like soldiers’ mothers<\/a>) or asserting a non-normative gender politics (as feminists or queer activists), they’re challenging a regime that relies on patriarchy for the legitimacy of its leader,” the authors write.<\/p>\n

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