Fake Decree: Why do celebrities pretend to be good fathers?
Dmitry Kurkin
It seems never in the Russian news so often they did not write about male maternity leave: a month after it became known about the decree of the general director of the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theater Vladimir Kekhman, the same wording emerged as one of the possible reasons for the departure of Andrei Malakhov from the First Channel. In itself, a reminder that men actually have the legal right to take leave to care for children may be a good idea (it’s almost impossible to imagine such news here a few years ago - progress is evident). But in practice, fathers are still considered “secondary parents” in the first months of their children’s life, and both examples rather harm the idea of equal parenthood than help to promote it.
Examples of Kekhman and Malakhov rather harm the idea of equal parenthood than help to promote it.
Although there is no doubt that Kekhman became a father, and Malakhov is preparing to become, going to the decree in both cases looks like a dubious euphemism, a specious excuse that disguises the true reasons. Kekhman, appointed general of the Novosibirsk Opera in 2015 to the place dismissed due to the production of Wagner's opera "Tannhäuser" Boris Mezdrich, in a little more than a year brought the theater to stagnation and himself to bankruptcy, so the decree was a way out of the legal deadlock for him . This does not prevent the manager from taking vacations in France, where, according to his own statement, he establishes contacts with the "leaders of the European theater process." As if going on maternity leave required additional justification.
As for Malakhov, in the conditions of his mysterious tiff with the First, rumors and versions of the real reason for the decree are multiplying before our eyes. The presenter is credited with conflicts with Konstantin Ernst and the new producer of the Let the Say talk show Natalya Nikonova (as if the host is being asked for more policies from which he is fighting off); in addition, they say that the channel decided to revive the sagging rating of the program. Any of the scenarios is not very similar to advertising of responsible parenthood for men, and the silence of Malakhov, who, strictly speaking, does not interfere with anything to announce his decree, only aggravates the situation. The idea of a father's decree in the eyes of most compatriots still looks absurd - so the scandalous trail of both stories only aggravates the stereotype.
The profanation of social ideas is a dangerous symptom of “blinding” public debate, which is practically impossible to begin in Russia. At one time, the famous “Ivannikova case” - the story of the attempted rape of Muscovite Alexandra Ivannikova, which, according to her words, was taken by the driver, Sergey Baghdasaryan, was raised by nationalists, thus eclipsed the problem of female violence. Diana Shurygin, who could become an example of confrontation to a culture of violence, converts popularity into opportunistic patriotic projects. And if the notorious publicity fell on Shurygin for the first time, then Malakhov knows how much the public person possesses her into the studio of his show.
The idea of a father's decree in the eyes of most compatriots still looks ridiculous, and the scandalous flair only aggravates the stereotype
In this sense, the Russian institute of publicity is still hopelessly behind the West. Talking about the stigmatization of certain social groups - it does not matter whether we are talking about newly minted fathers, LGBT people or people with Asperger syndrome - is not accepted in the local show business. Lady Gaga recalls the rape she experienced as a teenager and goes to student campuses with lectures on the relevant topic. Olli Alexander talks about his own experiences of adolescent depression, drawing attention to the acute, but still silent, problem of psychological exhaustion among children. Ashton Kutcher becomes the face of a campaign against sexual exploitation - and talks about things that are far from Hollywood gloss. And these are just a few examples. In Russia, this kind of intercession will almost certainly be perceived as a weakness.
Among Russian celebrities, the idea of using their own publicity to promote a social idea is not very popular at all. Participation in a charity event is the maximum that a showbiz star can afford, the rest in the eyes of his or her surroundings will either look like a strained show-off (surprisingly, people who feed on PR still face their faces when they hear the word PR.) unhealthy personal bzikom. With all the controversial reputation of the same Andrei Malakhov, he could set a good example, simply stating that he did not consider his father’s decree an oddity, and caring for a newborn was a “non-male” occupation.
Speaking of babysitting, which, according to rumors, responds with such contempt behind the scenes of the First Channel, it suffices to recall one of the world's most popular billionaires Mark Zuckerberg: two years ago he announced that after the birth of his daughter he was about to go on maternity leave for two months, citing research by sociologists - if parents temporarily give up work for the sake of child care, the family is only good. The Hollywood favorite Brad Pitt did the same, he went on maternity leave for two and a half months, and then triumphantly returned to the shooting of Ocean's Thirteen. And Garth Brooks, one of the most popular country musicians in the States - a genre that still remains conservative and peasant, prone to traditionalism in terms of gender roles - not just went on maternity leave, but for thirteen years left the stage to devote yourself raising three daughters. After a full return to touring life, Brooks incidentally undermined another unpleasant stereotype regarding his father's decrees - they say, after them it is difficult to return to the conquered career positions. It is clear that this is not about a worker from Nashville or Komsomolsk-on-Amur, but about a musician, whose annual income fluctuates around 60-90 million dollars. But then they are celebrity examples to indicate the general direction.