Babushka, Harlot, Helper, Joker: Women and Gender in 1930s Political Humour

Abstract

This chapter examines social attitudes to women and gender norms as revealed by the implicit assumptions within 1930s ‘anti-soviet’ humour. Women were portrayed in simplistic fashion as wise but sexless babushki; as whores used and discarded for the sake of the punchline; or as mere ‘helpers’ to men, reflecting official discourse. The chapter argues that this did not reflect a continuity of old attitudes, but an active attempt to resist the genuine changes in women’s social status in these years. The chapter then explores women’s political humour, noting that the regime was remarkably tolerant of it, considering women as politically underdeveloped and hence less culpable. Contrary to persistent ideas, the chapter shows that women’s humour was just as sharp as men’s, and that in this, at least, they were equals.