Ideas about the Physical Limitations of Women in Work in the Late Soviet Period

The paper investigates the problem of the physical limitations of women in work in the Late Soviet period. The purpose of the study is to establish the connection between medical ideas about physical features of women and law limitations of their work, and to understand if these limitations were the factor of economic discrimination of women of the given period. Methodologically, the research is conducted within the Raewyn Connell’s framework of gender order, which provides a comprehensive theory for analyzing gender dynamics and institutional structures. The study focuses on three main aspects: medical ideas, normative practice, and social interpretation of labor restrictions. The analysis of medical sources revealed that doctors and scientists emphasized the preservation of women's reproductive health, leading to restrictions on their labor activities. Soviet legal acts also supported this policy by establishing special labor conditions for women. Social analysis showed that labor restrictions were used as a tool to control women's reproductive function and reinforce patriarchal gender roles. The study highlights the complex nature of labor restrictions on women, reflecting the medical, legal, and social norms of late Soviet society.