Gender roles in Eastern Europe after Communism
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Changes in gender roles that were less noticeable than increased pornography also occurred after communism. Whereas before men and women were both working outside the home, in the post-communist market women were encouraged to take a more traditional role. This wound up placing more stress on the man to be the breadwinner of the family, even when it was difficult for him to find a job. If the man couldn't find a job but the woman could, suddenly men realized they were not playing their new gender role "correctly." Conversely, some men began to gain wealth in the new market, which dramatically changed their relationships as well. A survey conducted with women in Hungary, Serbia, Macedonia, and Bulgaria showed that 53% of these women said their relationships had gotten worse post-communism. Moreover, 78% admitted to also knowing other families where their relationships got worse (Nickolic-Ristanovic, 2002).
[edit] References
- Berry, Ellen E. Post-Communism and the Body Politic. New York: New York University Press, 1995.
- Corrin, Chris. Gender and Identity in Central and Eastern Europe. London: Frank Cass Publishers, 1999.
- Nikolic-Ristanovic, Vesna. Social Change, Gender, and Violence: Post-Communist and War Affected Societies. AA Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2002.
- Saleel, Renata. The Spoils of Freedom: Psychoanalysis and Feminism After the Fall of Socialism. London: Routledge, 1994
