Verified answer

Good question. I can't understand his copy-past activity myself.

Also, "Russian machismo"? for real??

Dear Arsan, I've never met a Russian like that, and I've been Iiving here almost all my life, not just travelling "to multiple cities in multiple countries in the former soviet union". Former Soviet Union =/= Russia. There were many ethnic groups in the USSR and there's now about 116 in Russia. You must understand that when you visit former Republics you most likely meet with locals, not with Russians. Different countries, different cultures, different traditions.

Your words ("A "real" Russian man never shows any emotion to his wife in public - no love, or affection or even sense of equality. She is property - nothing more. A "real" Russian man will never be seen in public with a child, or helping his wife with any shopping or grocery carrying or errands - she is on her own.") are nonsense. Is my father not Russian? Is he not real? What about my grandfathers? My friends? My colleges? Are they not real too?

Also, most of your info seems to belong to the early 90s, sorry.

And yes, alcoholism is a problem, but has nothing to do with "national character". It's thought as a vice. No one will brag about their drinking problems. An alcoholic is a source of a sorrow for the whole family.

upd He called us "Russian ultra-nationalists" in a new thread, but doesn't have balls to answer here.

Yeah, you're right. Homophobia is more of an internalized prejudice. Hate speech is outward discrimination. The big difference is that it's an attitude versus an action. I've heard that, like prejudice and discrimination, one can be homophobic and not use hate speech, but contrarywise, one cannot use hate speech without being homophobic. I don't think that's entirely true though.. I think there are some cases where situaltional pressures can make a non-homophobic person use hate speech. I'd say they're quite different, quite separate, but they do overlap a lot. ☼

I second the answerer above. Good point.