Barechested Colombians dance salsa. Bicepped Brazilians, still giddy at the early exit of rivals Argentina, dance forro with anyone willing. Boozed-up Englishmen are gyrating around plastic pint glasses. So sensual. He comes over, smiles for a selfie, before departing. For the two weeks of the World Cup , Russian cities have been awash with men and women from the competing 32 nations and beyond. And if the feedback on Nikolskaya Street and social media is anything to go, the locals seem to like what they have seen.
Many of them have posted video stories of early summer romances with foreigners. The suggestion that Russian men might not be up to the competition has been met with a furious response by patriotic media. And the men themselves are angry. The patriarchal views there are unmistakable. Official discourse has not been far behind. The comment was reminiscent of instructions given out before the Olympics about who Soviet women should and should not go out with — Westerners were no-go, but those from socialist countries were OK.
And it is always young women, by the way. No one is bothered if you are above 35 — then you are free as far as the state is concerned. Russians have a complicated relationship with sex and sexuality in general. In many of the larger cities, and among educated classes, a liberal attitude prevails. Abortion and casual relationships, if not quite promoted, are certainly not frowned upon. The arrival of visibly different values may make a difference, says Arzamasova.
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