"Feminism is a multi-faceted phenomenon promoting women's dignity, sexual equality, and a vision of a society which has a greater concern for inter-personal relationships, more human relationships between men and women and a more equitable and non-violent world."
(1992)

"Russian women like myself have not yet learnt to fly. We lack confidence and our everyday struggle for mere survival prevents our taking off. We are faced with the question: Do we really want freedom? Are we prepared to make sacrifices for the sake of freedom in order to do our bit in building democracy? Or will women once again accept the rules of the game foisted on them from above - either the theory of women's "natural mission" (to be wives and mothers) or a combination of the roles - worker and mother? Or shall we try to enable each member of society to have a real choice in how he or she earns a living, how to coordinate our working and personal lifes (both women's and men's) with family life as well as developing as individuals? We need democracy for this to take place."
(1994)

Valentina Konstantinova

links and lit:

• Konstantinova, Valentina (1992) "The women's movement in the USSR. A myth or a real challenge?" in: Rai Shirin, Pilkington, Hilary, Phizacklea, Annie (Hg.)(1992), "Women in the Face of Change. The Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and China", Routledge, London, NYC, S.200-217

home