"This book of Czech experts on gender culture and politics during state socialism proposes a significant new view on life within a totalitarian regime in Central Europe. Focusing not only on ideology and politics but on social practice as well, the book is an important contribution to understanding the gap between official ideology and everyday life during particular stages of state socialism. The results of the newest research presented in the book significantly add to our understanding of former state socialist countries and totalitarian systems in general"--Gabriela Dudekova, Slovak Academy of Sciences