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Russian cultural scholar Julie Cassiday argues that Putin’s reshaping of gender norms foreshadowed Ukraine invasion
When Russian troops poured across Ukraine’s borders in February 2022, many international observers expressed shock at Vladimir Putin’s decision to launch a full-scale invasion. But according to Julie Cassiday, a leading expert on Russian cultural politics, the warning signs were embedded in the Kremlin’s years-long campaign to reshape Russian notions of gender and sexuality.
Cassiday, the Willcox B. and Harriet M. Adsit Professor of Russian at Williams College, traces a direct line between Putin’s domestic policies on gender and his aggressive foreign policy stance toward Ukraine. Since his rise to power in 1999, Putin has methodically transformed Russian citizenship ideals, positioning young, heterosexual women as the nation’s model citizens while simultaneously scapegoating queer men.
“What we’ve witnessed over two decades is a deliberate reconstruction of Russian identity through the lens of gender politics,” Cassiday explained in her recent analysis. “These aren’t separate issues from foreign policy – they’re intimately connected.”
Her research highlights a particularly revealing 2018 incident involving a viral video made by air cadets in Ulyanovsk. The video, which sparked controversy within Russia, exemplifies the contradictions in Putin’s cultural agenda that Cassiday believes reveal the underpinnings of what she terms “Putin’s Ukrainophobia and military aggression.”
This incident occurred against the backdrop of Russia’s internationally condemned 2013 law banning “gay propaganda,” which prohibited the promotion of “non-traditional sexual relationships” to minors. Human rights organizations widely criticized the legislation as a tool to suppress LGBTQ+ communities and reinforce traditional gender roles central to Putin’s vision of Russian revival.
Cassiday’s analysis represents a growing scholarly consensus that Putin’s domestic and foreign policies are deeply intertwined. As the Russian president consolidated power, he increasingly framed Russia as a defender of traditional values against Western liberalism – a narrative that eventually positioned Ukraine as a corrupted nation needing correction through military force.
The Williams College professor brings substantial expertise to this analysis. Her academic career spans Russian language, literature, and culture, with additional focus in Comparative Literature and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Her research specializes in performance across Russian cultural contexts, including a book on early Soviet show trials and numerous articles examining cultural phenomena from Stalinist cinema to Putin’s personality cult.
In her recently published book, “Russian Style: Performing Gender, Power, and Putinism” (2023), Cassiday provides a comprehensive examination of how gender performance has become inseparable from political power in contemporary Russia. The work builds on more than two decades of scholarship tracking the evolution of Russian cultural politics under Putin’s leadership.
Cassiday’s findings reflect broader trends documented by international observers. The Russian government has increasingly positioned itself as a bulwark against what it characterizes as Western gender ideology, implementing policies that promote traditional family structures while marginalizing LGBTQ+ communities.
These domestic cultural shifts, according to Cassiday, created the ideological framework that eventually justified military action against Ukraine, which Putin’s regime portrayed as having abandoned traditional Slavic values by pursuing closer ties with Europe and embracing more progressive social attitudes.
Cassiday continues her research with a current focus on Russophone Boys Love, a transnational genre of popular romance that further illuminates the complex cultural landscape against which Putin’s policies operate.
As the conflict in Ukraine continues, Cassiday’s work provides critical context for understanding the deep cultural underpinnings of what has become Europe’s largest military conflict since World War II, suggesting that Russia’s war aims extend beyond territorial control to a broader cultural restoration project central to Putin’s vision of Russian identity.
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14 Comments
Putin’s manipulation of gender norms to bolster his power and justify aggression is a troubling development. It shows how authoritarians can weaponize culture and identity politics to achieve their geopolitical aims.
You make a good point. This is a stark example of how authoritarian leaders can use social engineering and propaganda to lay the groundwork for military action. It’s a worrying trend we need to watch closely.
Fascinating insight into the connection between Putin’s domestic gender policies and his aggressive foreign policy. It’s concerning to see how cultural propaganda can lay the groundwork for military aggression.
You’re right, the reshaping of gender norms seems to have been a precursor to the invasion. It’s a disturbing example of how cultural narratives can enable and justify armed conflict.
The connections drawn between Putin’s domestic gender policies and his foreign policy posture toward Ukraine are quite compelling. This underscores the importance of analyzing the cultural dimensions of geopolitical conflicts.
Agreed. Examining the ideological underpinnings of military actions is crucial for understanding the deeper motivations and dynamics at play. This research provides valuable insights in that regard.
This is a thought-provoking and disturbing analysis of how Putin has weaponized gender norms and identity politics to support his aggressive foreign policy. It’s a sobering reminder of the power of propaganda and cultural engineering.
Absolutely. The connections drawn between domestic policies and international aggression are deeply concerning. This research provides valuable context for understanding the complex drivers behind the Ukraine invasion.
The analysis of how Putin’s domestic policies on gender and sexuality relate to his foreign policy posture is a fascinating and troubling insight. It underscores the need to closely examine the ideological underpinnings of geopolitical conflicts.
Agreed. This research highlights the importance of looking beyond the immediate military and political dimensions of conflicts to understand the deeper cultural and ideological forces at play. It’s a crucial perspective.
This is a sobering reminder of how authoritarians can leverage cultural narratives to justify aggression and oppression. The gender politics angle is a concerning yet illuminating perspective on the Ukraine invasion.
Definitely. It’s a stark example of how propaganda and social engineering can pave the way for military action. Understanding these dynamics is key to countering such destabilizing forces.
This analysis highlights an important but often overlooked aspect of the Ukraine invasion – the role of long-term ideological and cultural campaigns in laying the foundation. It’s a sobering reminder of the power of propaganda.
Absolutely. The ideological framing around gender and sexuality appears to have been a key part of the Kremlin’s broader strategy. Understanding these connections is crucial for countering such propaganda efforts.