Russian women push back at shaming over World Cup dating

MOSCOW (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of foreign men have flooded into Russia for the monthlong World Cup, setting off a fierce debate in the host nation about the roles and rights of women.

Russian women who have dated the soccer fans have been shamed by some Russian commentators, denounced for allegedly undermining the country's morals and gene pool.

The widespread, vehement criticism has shown the dominance of patriarchal and sexist views in Russia, where the concept of gender equality is a generation behind that of the West's.

Still, the reaction against Russian women's World Cup dalliances has been so strong that some feminists think it could actually advance their cause by shocking even conservative Russian women who wouldn't identify themselves as feminists.

Feminist writer Snezhana Gribatskaya says "even those women (are saying) 'Enough is enough!'"

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