Transformation of gender relations as a result of compensation reactions

The paper deals with the changes in the gender relations of families in the early 21st century. The relevant problems of the modern Russian family are considered from the perspective of the compensation theory developed by German philosophers Joachim Ritter, Hermann Lübbe, and Odo Marquard. Having analyzed the modern family phenomena, the authors conclude that they can be explained either with the help of infantilization process (a refusal to grow up and become mature) or culture historification. Infantilization could be found in such aspects as a decrease in marriages, an increase in marriage and childbearing age, changes in several wedding traditions, and appearance of the new ones. The compensation theory explains the manifestation of modernization in society and can be used to present gender relations culture in the context of family and marriage. As a result of the culture historification, the paper suggests the following phenomena demonstrated by the government through mass media: traditional nuclear family model (which consists of a father, a mother, and children), gender stereotypes about families (male breadwinner and female housekeeper), supporting the traditional female models. The authors pay attention to quasi traditions in gender relations which are offered by false experts. The main idea of these quasi traditions is to spread gender stereotypes about feminine and masculine role models.