The Brian Lehrer Show Russia and Feminism
Oct 24, 2025
Julia Ioffe, a journalist and founding partner at Puck, dives into the rich feminist history of Russia in her new book, *Motherland*. She reveals how Soviet policies initially boosted women's roles in professions like medicine and STEM, while discussing early Bolshevik reforms that aimed for gender equality. Ioffe also examines Putin's adoption of traditional gender roles and anti-LGBTQ policies. With insights on gender dynamics, Soviet failures, and contemporary reactions to the war in Ukraine, this conversation sheds light on the complexities of Russian feminism today.
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Family Of Generations In Medicine
- Julia Ioffe describes four generations of women doctors and scientists in her family.
- She contrasts that with American listeners' surprise, explaining it was common in the Soviet context.
Promises Broken By State Priorities
- The state promised collective supports but prioritized rapid industrialization and war.
- Men dominated power, women kept working without the nurseries, laundromats, or cafeterias promised to them.
Postwar Push And Female Exhaustion
- After WWII the Soviet state pressured women to reproduce while still expecting full-time work.
- Women carried double and triple burdens and grew exhausted by the Soviet collapse.
