A Russian lesbian couple, Irina Fedotova, right, and Irina Shipitko kiss each other by a marriage registry office in central Moscow, May 12, 2009.

AP- Russian lesbian couple was denied a marriage license by an government official. They were handed a written rejection from an official in a registry office in central Moscow. The office director said Russian law recognizes a marriage “only” between a man and a woman. Despite the rejection, the couple said they would not give up. “We won’t stop in midstream,” Fedotova told journalists later, adding that she and her partner plan to get married in Canada. She said Russia recognizes marriages registered abroad.

Despite the rejection, the couple wearing suits and bow-ties and holding flowers, said they would continue to fight for recognition of gay rights in Russia. Russia decriminalized homosexuality in 1993, but opposition to gay rights remains widespread. Russian spiritual leaders have claimed that homosexuality threatens the country’s traditional values. (more…)

Galina, don’t be skeptical about your wishes and dreams! They are like seeds thrown in soil and waiting for time to sprout and blossom.
Thus I cheered myself up going along one of Vienna streets, and gusts of cold wind threw raindrops in my face. As alien I peeped in luminous shop windows, observing Christmas candles and  people in their purchase amok. For me – solo as I was, Christmas meant only a few additional days of aggravated solitude.
I didn’t manage well, besides arrival of accommodation welfare was delayed for two months. So the very idea of buying Christmas presents sounded improper, when two-digit figure of my recent bank report swirled in my mind as epitome of all I possessed and achieved after years of struggle in Austria.
At last I entered bakery to warm myself up, and as middle-aged sales woman glanced at me questioningly, I felt obliged to buy the cake and registered automatically miscount in 40 cents.
I walked for ages, and now it was middle of nowhere. The buzz of traffic subsided, and road widened in avenue of poplars and mansions, running forward to rural districts.
One could see around small picturesque gardens, lawns with statues and fountains. Some houses were richly decorated with clay molding and wood carvings. (more…)

Group of people in Mariahilfer Strasse, Vienna. That plump woman with hair standing on at her head looked rather funny. She addressed me with idea to get a few coins for drink
Zhanna
It was sunny spring of 1982. The university alley of apple and peach trees was all pink lace of blossoms. The air was fresh and clear. But I was ascending marble staircase of main building with monument of Great Chief at the top feeling chill in my heart.
I was first year philology student and had exam on history of communist party.
There were two sleepless nights before due to quantity of books to read, which added to feeling of emptiness inside.
The group of students gathered in corridor by the classroom where professor Zhanna – pride of Kyrgyz historical materialism and peril of neglecting freshmen was receiving exams. (more…)

I do not know whether you are teasing your readers with your comments about masculine stupidity, mean-spirited men who want to split bills in restaurants or you really mean it.
I take your point that men are obsessed by their penises – it’s part of the male psyche that would be rather difficult to eradicate, but I do think that there must be some men, in Vienna or elsewhere, who are warm-hearted, sensitive and possessing a reasonably rounded personality who try to communicate with women at a higher level than that of banging away for instant gratification. You say you’ve lost count of the pricks. I have not lost count(well maybe one or two!) of the pussies I have met – I remember (most of) them with pleasure and affection – chiefly because nearly every one was a friend with whom there was SOME kind of relationship before the coupling began. I was also taught by some charming older women in my youth to respect women and try to share pleasure instead of taking it. As you very wisely say, feelings are the root of the matter – without that- sex can be a mechanical pleasure best performed by oneself.
It’s good that you challenge we males in our fantasy that we rule the universe – as you well know we don�t, and look to women for all the things that we want – such as comfort, assistance – and sex! Males can be psychologically traumatized if they are refused sex – particularly when they are younger – thank goodness the desperate urges of youth are fading (a little!) There was nothing worse when I was 20 than lusting after almost every woman in sight and not being able to do anything about it – complete frustration.
There – I’ve probably proved your theory for you that men are ruled by their cocks. Because we are on two different sides of the equation, we will probably never agree on this issue, but you have my complete respect for voicing it succinctly and well. Steven, London

Recollecting days I had spent in Kenya some times ago, when I was invited to spend time as potential bride for rich Englishman.  I saw many absolutely beautiful black faces. Story about that you can read in later post. First of all Kenya is marvelous country, sometimes it may be rain like water pouring out of bucket, so intense and long. Sometimes it can be hot, but not very. If to sit by small brook and look in the water, you can see fish of half meter long with whiskeys  swimming in 20 cm under water surface. That is pity, I concentrated by attention on relationship more, than it deserved and missed to appreciate many exciting things of natural life around

Dreams

Terrible bang at the door came after midnight. Since it was bars area, I reached for rolling pin and
then shut open the door. Russian woman Natasha stood there together with her husband – short man with disproportional big hands. Natasha looked as child who broke vase playing football in living room and tried to postpone inexorable penalty of angered parent.
- Galya, confirm that I was with you last night, – retorted she miserably.
Looking at her companion whose hands were clenching like claws of big cancer anticipating piercing through soft flesh, I hurriedly confirmed falsehood.
I knew Natasha for a few years. Now and then, she visited me in my attic to narrate about her life of struggle with controlling and jealous husband.
Couple came to Austria from Moscow region 15 years ago. They had two children, and
man belonged to category of -imported Russian brains- being highly qualified specialist welcomed by Austrian science.
Natasha existed in situation of complete financial dependence on spouse,
what stimulated significantly her victim attitudes and brutal dominant manners of her man.
She went so far in confessions of being beaten by him regularly at least once a week.
I would suspect exaggerations, as if she would not appear with bruises. Once it was violet lantern under her eye that she tried to cover with strand of hair. (more…)

Ambiguous, if intellectual and physical potential of humans is endless, so is potential to feel. Normal life hardly gives opportunity to use this potential in full strength. But everybody knows in his heart he could experience more intensive, pure and strong feelings, and everybody dreams about true love. We all have relationships with which are never completely satisfied. We drag these relationships on like inevitable bonds. We would persuade ourselves that we love those close to us but there are always dark streams of doubt in enormous depth of our heart. If it is love, why we are unhappy? Even proclaiming that we care for others, we have complicated and contradiction feelings, which we never reveal. Did you notice that you can never be fond of somebody completely? You feel blissful completeness and admiration only when you stay in significant distance from one of your adore. Whenever you make step closer – inevitable blemishes come into sight. You tend to like some segments and dislike others. (more…)