The topic of Russian women’s summer romances with foreign men is trending across media outlets of 2018 FIFA World Cup’s hosting country. Opinions and reprisals are offered from all sides, from ultra-conservative male-dominated groups calling to shame or even attack women who dare to be friendly to foreigners to female bloggers making fun of jealous attitudes of Russian men.
World Cup affairs of Russian women with foreigners as a trending topic
The topic of Russian women and western men and their interactions during 2018 FUFA World Cup remains trendy not only in the local social networks and online publications.
It had been also picked up by outlets like UK’s The Independent, quoting a popular female blogger’s opinion that World Cup lifted “the iron curtain of Russian sexuality.”
The Sun also discussed Russian guys’ belittling of local women “bedding” foreigners during World Cup. Formerly unknown writer Platon Besedin went as far as calling all Russian women “whores” and talking about “the generation of sluts”, scolding “girls who hang on foreigners”. The article had been published by popular tabloid MK.ru and caused a whole storm of discussions, both in press and social networks.
The view that Russian women bring shame on the country by communicating with foreigners is not new. It’s been viewed like this for a long time in Russia: The women who married a foreigner and moved overseas were labelled “traitors”. To be fair, so were the men or couples who emigrated from the best country on Earth, which is, your guessed it, Mother Russia.
“At World Cup, Russians embrace the world, one relationship at a time,” USA’s Washington Post proposed. “Russian men don’t treat Russian girls well,” the publication quotes 20-year-old Katya, who added that foreigners are kind, unlike local males.
Newsweek‘s headline “Sex, soccer and sexism” described threats faced by women dating foreign nationals during the World Cup. “Russian trolls have subjected some women to abuse for mixing with foreign fans,” the publication confirms.
The controversy began on June 14, when Tamara Pletnyova, the head of committee on affairs of Family, Women and Kids in the Russian Parliament (Duma), advised females to avoid intimacy with foreign guests of the World Cup for the fear of being left to hold the baby, literally. The 70-year-old long-term Duma member voiced her opinion that having a mixed-race child would be detrimental to national interests, because the country needs to bring up Russian kids. Pletnyova further expressed the view that it wouldn’t be beneficial for the country if a woman left Russia to live with her lover abroad either. This was the start of it, but the theme has developed much further and grew more controversial since 14 June.
Now you won’t find a Russian who has no opinion on the subject, that’s how much the topic has propagated online within 4 weeks.
Read also:
- Russian guys pretend to be foreigners to get girls during World Cup
- Russian men turn to female fashion during 2018 World Soccer Cup, wear ‘Kokoshnik’
- Burger King offered to pay 3 million rubles to Russian girls who fall pregnant from famous football players
Russian women hit back
Females of Russia started their own movement, demanding apologies from MK for publishing Besedin’s controversial piece. A petition on Change.org started by Snezhana Gribatskaya gathered over 53,000 signatures. The author points out that the post in MK falls under the definition of article 282 of the Criminal Code of Russia, which deals with promoting hatred and denigration of human dignity.
Isn’t it surprising that a thing that is quite natural — young people from different countries communicating and exchanging views and kisses, which is what usually happens when hot-looking guys and gals get together — stirred such a profound discussion in the Russian press that it even outpoured into western media outlets?
How many World Cup events are happening around the world every year? Is there a country where such topics are raised with such animosity and brought into public discussions on a similar scale?
Some authors expressed the view that the whole media hysteria about Russian women’s romances at the World Cup was designed to divert attention away from discussing Russia’s proposed pension reform, which will see female’s age of retirement lifted to 63 years from the current 55 and male’s from 60 to 65. The announcement of the pension reform was made as the World Cup opening ceremony was in progress. The proposed measures were met with unanimous negativity among Russian citizens, especially given the fact that in over 60 federal subjects the new pension age is above male’s life expectancy. It was the topic of raising the pension age that dominated online discussions for the first week of the championship.
What our female readers think about summer romances with World Cup guests
To find out what Russian ladies think about the media hysteria, it’s enough to check comments on our recent article discussing the hyped up topic, which unexpectedly became a talking point on 2018 FIFA World Cup agenda.
The theme of soccer-infused romances between Russian women and foreign men divided our female readers.
Ekaterina, 28, never married
Russian men are more and more active in social networks and forums (especially the ones for females) where they throw dirt at Slavic women for their communication with foreigners. They create groups and insult women in comments using profanities.
With that, they are in denial of the obvious: Women want to marry a foreigner (or simply talk to foreign guys during the Cup) not to simply immigrate to a better country, but because 90% of Russian men are cads, rude, many of them drink, view women as a thing, cheating (only from the men’s side, naturally) is a norm — and that’s not all the “wonders”. And we are tired of that.
But the guys will either deny all of this or say, “I am a man and I am allowed to.” After that I am even more convinced that I was right to start seeking a partner abroad. Now Russian men for me practically don’t exist.
But still, it’s disgusting and sickening.
Russian men are so angry about that. But they themselves constantly scream that a girl after 25/27/30 is “an old woman” and they don’t want her. But when this “old woman”, for instance, marries a foreigner, with whom she has mutual love and respect, then Russian men are besides themselves with anger.
Sonja, single mother 35+
I am not ashamed to date foreigners. I select by personal qualities and not by nationality.
I had been dating different men. The attitude toward women is different. There is respect, care. When I broke up with a Turk on my initiative (women were trying to seduce him right in front of me, which was too much), he contacted me 3 times during the following year and politely asked what did he do wrong and promised to change it. When I dated an American, we broke up and then after a while discussed our problems and came to a compromise.
This is practically impossible with our men. Only in relationships with foreigners I have discovered that a break up can be without pain and dirt, with respect to my needs and interests.
At the World Cup girls are in high demand. When we went to a club, they only allowed entry to men who had a female companion. Young, fit, well-groomed foreigners give a lot of attention to Russian beauties.
Of course, lazy, poorly groomed Russian uncles don’t like it and the weakest and angriest are scolding us. It would be funny if I paid attention to this criticism — “Muslim”, “dark”, “short”, “not wealthy” or “just for one night”.
A large part of men in Russia are deficient misogynists, they are the ones joining online groups, and this is why we are looking abroad. I personally was catching disapproving looks for being in a company of a colourful male in a hotel. Even recently when signing into a hotel, I was asked who I was and why I was booking in with a foreigner. In a bar or taxi, the best is not to react at all.
Comparing bodies of foreigners and Russians, the latter would have more deceases. For me and many other girls, dating Russian guys after having relationships with foreigners is a nightmare and a horror.
Foreigners look after themselves, they use protection without excuses like, “Not the same sensations”.
After relationships with Russian men I am psychologically and physically empty, and have to recover from my own resources. After relationships with foreigners, we chat nicely, “Hi honey, how’s your son?”
Foreigners have a beautiful attitude towards kids, their own and others, especially compared to our sorrowful dads.
Galina
That’s the bitter truth. Our men don’t want women with kids. Although they themselves leave ex-wives with kids and forget about their existence. I was concerned about it, but after communicating with foreign men I realized that by large they have a good attitude towards kids. Towards their own kids and the children of the woman.
Ubr
My sincere belief is that only narrow-minded and deeply unhappy people can be such chauvinists. A man who respects himself and strives to develop in this life won’t try to throw dirt at other people, so as to look better in his own eyes. It’s clear as clear day!
The conversations about some purebred genes are especially hilarious. Once I watched a video about students of different nations, who took part in a survey about nationalities they disliked. Then they performed DNA tests. What a surprise, the ones who expressed strong dislikes of a certain nation had lots of genes of this nation.
Oksana
It’s horrifying to read this, when our women are dictated how to behave and everything else. Indeed, Russian men often lack confidence and gallantry. This is why it’s not surprising that girls prefer foreigners, who have these qualities.
Of course, we want to feel like queens, it’s nice. And instead of writing squibs, they should rather think what women aren’t getting in dating them and make conclusions!
Svetlana, 36
It’s sad now much our girls don’t value themselves. They allow other people to decide how they should live, with whom they should sleep, what to think. Attaching labels such as, “hanging on foreigners”…
I lost virginity at 21 and it was a great love, and then for 11 years I would not let any man near, hoping to find such a great love again. Now I am 36 and I realized that during my best years I was simply torturing myself. As if I put myself into a jail cell. And what for? No answer.
In reality, the society doesn’t care about your personal life. Even if there is a reason and neighbours, family, colleagues or friends start gossiping, there will be a fresh topic and they’d instantly forget it.
Sex is not shameful, not dirty, and not bad. Sex is beautiful! And only you should decide with whom, when and how often you want to do it!
Sweet
It’s a strange question, who is hanging on whom, in our times. Why “hanging”? People meet, communicate, get married and so on. What does it have to do with you? Jealous? Be jealous in silence. In my opinion, only narrow-minded people do it.
Diana
It’s inferiority complex and fear, of course. It’s not even about discrimination of women, but a phobia of self-sufficient women [on the part of Russian men].
Inna
Whatever they talk about in the government, all people have their own heads on their shoulders and we make our own decisions! To communicate with foreigners or not is a person’s business, their own. If a girl is drawn to a guy, I doubt that anything can hold her back. There are a lot of girls in Russia who communicate with foreigners, what’s wrong with that? They are also people, just like we are! No need to listen to crazy women, follow your heart and it’s not important where from he is!
Lera
I have contradictory feelings about this matter. Of course, everyone has the right to choose, with whom, when and why. I wouldn’t say that the words of the parliamentarian are chauvinistic. It’s rather a question of morals. What do foreigners think about Russian girls? The guys came to Russia because they are avid soccer supporters, they came only because of soccer. And in between soccer games they have an opportunity to “unwind”, why not. But what about the difference — when you are courting a girl (and the guy has no time for that) or when the girl hangs on you herself? Guys will say that Russian girls are easy.
Don’t these girls understand that they are a beautiful and accessible attachment to soccer? Well, youth is youth. And whom the girls will be left with when the World Cup has ended? Yes, they will have to pay attention to “scared” Russian guys who are “not courting them correctly”.
Sveta
It’s all clear and understandable. Love is what Russian girls and women from the former USSR seek, but there is a big risk in this type of love. About which these girls will be remembering their whole lives, and many will destroy their own lives. It’s well known that a high percentage of men in South America is HIV-infected. Macho from Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, etc. Hot guys can simply infect women. So, use condoms. Don’t complicate your life. You won’t be able to prove later that you had passion, love, and you freely decided what to do with your body.
Daria
It’s delirious, about racial clarity, of course. Since when they are concerned about that? There are no genetically purebred Russians anyway.
But there is some share of truth in the fact that these women will become single mothers and then they will demand help from the state. It’s the times of an economic crisis in Russia, resources are limited, this is why the warning: OK, do with your body what you wish, but then no one has to be responsible for that. Whether it’s good or bad, but there are no laws yet to prohibit dating someone. And democracy is either both ways or there is none. If no one can prohibit to love someone, then why someone can silence others and prohibit them saying what they think and give any advice they wish to disperse?
If western countries are concerned, they should take part in upbringing of the kids that are born from their citizens. And in treatment of women who catch some deceases. Because it’s unfair: One was jumping from bed to bed all her youth, and then she needs a treatment from AIDS on account of taxpayers, and another woman had been working all her life and then she is told there is no money to pay her pension or fund a medical treatment.
Kristina
It’s World Cup and scandals about “our girls” and “their machos” are flaring here and there all the time. In VK groups comments are blocked, posts are deleted, the social network administration warns moderators: Russian guys believe that our girls, who are now dating guests of our country, have betrayed Russia, they should be punished and even painted with a green colorant (a popular amusement in our times).
But what the argument is about? Let’s try to understand.
“A woman in our country is viewed as an object — a mother, a wife, and that’s her main function. If she wants to live for her own pleasure, then she will be criticised. Most often it is men who are doing that.” — that’s a psychologist said, not me.
Suddenly foreigners attempted to take away a Russian male’s property! And the property, surprisingly, wants to have a freedom of choice. And not only the freedom of choice, but date whoever she wants, despite nationality, background and languages, as well as have a sexual freedom — she even can simply have sex and choose a partner being guided by only her “carnal” desires. Unheard of! This right was only granted to men, who in their majority couldn’t be upheld as examples of moral behaviour, and vehemently defended their right to be polygamous. But as soon as women just mentioned that…
Being a single mother is a normal situation in Russia, it’s even its national peculiarity. Often kids don’t even know their fathers, who are alive and well, they simply don’t see their children as their children. Fathers never tried to see us, and child support was hard to get. Unpaid child support in our country is over 100 billion rubles (USD 1.6 billion), which is another indication of consumerism towards women – that’s real numbers, my mother is a bailiff on child support matters.
For a Russian man, a woman is an object. He came, conceived a child, realized his need to have an offspring, and then left. A woman is a thing to use. And she has no right to choose what to do, whom to live with and whom to sleep with. Single mothers are a norm. Woman-object – this too is natural.
It’s a sickening situation when a male, who needs a female to dispense his urge, suddenly realizes that his toilet is going to be used by another male and starts a bloody fight. But not against the male… Against the toilet that he was utilizing for many years and never cared to clean.
I haven’t seen that anyone hangs on someone’s neck… Although I live in the centre of Moscow and often walk around Arbat, precisely with the goal to absorb some good vibes. But I haven’t seen any girls hanging on foreigners’ necks.
Yes, many Russians are chatting in cafes with foreigners. And…? Why did you decide that around the corner they quickly jump into the embrace of Russian sex, senseless and ruthless 🙂 [Do you really think that] in the morning they wake up and think, “Gosh, where can I find a location for the space between my legs today?”
In Europe and countries of South America people are also friendly and open to contact, one phrase starts an acquaintance. For me it’s normal, for instance, if I accidentally elbowed a guy in a queue and then we walk around together for two days, in the company of his friends, going to bars and clubs, hanging out at his friends’ homes. This doesn’t even mean we are intimate, but I don’t see a big problem if I decide that I want him — that’s my body, right? Or does it belong to parliamentarians?
“Who will the girls stay with after the World Cup?” — With the ones they love 🙂 and with whom they have something serious. What soccer has to do with that?
If a chat at a cafe resulted in a passionate sex — great. If a passionate sex grew into a relationship — it’s even better!
Although, yes, I have heard that supposedly men love beautiful and unapproachable women. I guess I need to put on makeup and lock myself in my apartment.
What do you think about the media scrutiny of World Cup romances between Russian women and foreign men? Comment below!
Share this article
As a foreign man reading all this, a few major things come to mind: – The men getting jealous happens in all countries, to different amounts, only the reactions by them are different… depending on maturity. Diana above, is correct – “It’s inferiority complex”. The romance of a sexy different language… of far off lands and experiences… all which “the locals” can not supply. It happened at the Olympics, Commonwealth Games; Winter Olympics… and will continue to. That’s just what happens when from different countries mix. – The reason many or us foreigner men search for partners/wives in Eastern European… Read more »
It is disturbing that so many, (men in particular) have not gained any courage or pride to support women in their own choices and the fact they are equal human beings to a male. Clearly the world cup event has brought out the worst of many men and it seems even some women on the topic or morality, standards or how “should” a women decide to speak, pursue or engage with another person irrespective of the reason or timing. All I can say is” shame on you”. Those who stand on some perfect moral high ground and accuse and condemn… Read more »