Gender identity of women in

Ukraine as a result of cultural

texts interpretation

Prof. Larysa Zahrai

2017/02/15

Model of constructing a gender

identity of a women in Ukraine

(Tamara Martseniuk)

• a mother – woman-guardian, who embodies

an image of a nation;

• a woman is an adornment that adorns a man,

helps and supports him especially in

complicated situations

The aim is to analyze key concepts of gender

relations, gender identity of a woman in Ukraine

in terms of various societies, which inhabited its

territory over various periods of time

• Gender is a social construction, which, on the one

hand, is always formed due to social and cultural

experience, cultural texts, social labor division,

institutions of socialization, and, on the other

hand, is a result of reflection, interpretation,

which ensures the transformation process of

external into internal;

• Gender identity is an inside realization of

characteristics connected with cultural

determination of masculinity and feminity.

• Culture is a text full of senses, concepts,

which play a role of a comprehension pattern

of reality, in particular gender.

Texts are divided

• symbolic, which contain main symbolic essences of gender culture (myths, fairy tales, imaginative literature, music, pieces of figurative art)

• metaphorical, which contribute to creation of new senses

• theoretical (conceptual), which include main cultural concepts – gender regulations, requirements, rules (gender ideology, various theories, which disclose nature and destination of masculine/feminine etc.) (Chepeleva N).

Symbolic essence of gender

ideologemes in pagan traditions

• there was not any central organization or a

single leader (God and Goddess were

interpreted as two equal incarnations of one

and the same divine quality)

• worshiping not only to gods, but also to

goddesses

The Goddess Mokosha The Goddess Dana

Lela Slava

Mythological images of northern warrior maidens,

Old Slavic strongwomen-warriors

• extremely physically strong

• social activity

• not limited by the family

Image of a woman in times of the Kyivska Rus

(from the late 9th century to the middle of the 13th century)

as a clever and knowledge

Ideologemes of identity female freedom

were laid during the Cossack times

(15th -18th centuries)

Cult of women:

Holy Mother, Holy Mother

Woman as guardian of hearth

Respect for women

Influence of women during

Cossack period

The image of woman in totalitarian

system as builder of socialism

Identity of labouring women

Identity of countrywoman

Contradictory image of working

woman and mother

Woman-guardian

Woman-mother

Woman-Barbie

Image of business woman

Thank you!