History Main / UglySlavicWomen

* The 1957 [[UsefulNotes/LooneyTunesAndMerrieMelodiesFilmography Merrie Melodies]] cartoon ''WesternAnimation/RabbitRomeo'' has Elmer Fudd inherit a large Slobovian rabbit named Millicent. Fudd tricks WesternAnimation/BugsBunny into being Millicent's companion. Bugs is repulsed by this obese, love-crazed lagomorph that speaks with a vaguely East European accent and grammar structure: "Give to me large kiss." Millicent's voice was supplied by Creator/JuneForay, using an accent that would become Natasha Fatale's voice from ''WesternAnimation/RockyAndBullwinkle''.

* To paraphrase an old Soviet joke, "Where once were ladies and gentlemen, there are comrades and comrades."
* --> '''Q''': What do you call an attractive woman in Russia?

* In the 1990's action series ''Literature/SoldiersOfBarrabas'', the SOBS are on a mission to the Soviet Union and watch in bemusement as Alex Nanos (who works as a gigolo when he's not a mercenary) seduces a woman of this type. They conclude the only plausible reason is that he was born horny (though it doesn't hurt that the woman concerned is enthusiastically randy herself).

Eastern Europe is subject to a lot of generalizations in foreign eyes. Basically all people from Slavic, Eastern European, Belarussian or Russian countries are pigeonholed as the same people. When they are young and attractive they are SensualSlavs. A female may be an IceQueen who is emotionally reserved and needs to thawed in order to show her [[BeautifulAllAlong beauty and happiness underneath the stern façade]], but generally this stereotype shows them as sympathetic exotic erotic beauties with a heart of gold. Far worse is the opposite stereotype, depicting them as ugly, even with two variations:

As with most stereotypes about people it's difficult to find out where these images came from, although Literature/BabaYaga, the WickedWitch from Myth/SlavicMythology, is an example from within the culture itself right down to her headscarf. What is certain for a fact is that the "ugly Eastern European woman" stereotype became more prevalent after UsefulNotes/TheRussianRevolution came in effect. Soviet propaganda always showed a lot of muscle strong women working in the fields alongside the men as their "comrade-in-arms". As fashion was considered ''bourgeois'' in Soviet society the industry in this field was fairly limited, resulting in domination of purely functional, often very ugly and shabby clothes designs. This also fit propaganda purposes, as it showed that everybody was equal. In the West, wherer the default expectation for women was to be housewives and maintain a level of daintiness, these strong Russian women were seen as equal parts unconventional threat and laughably repulsive. Western RedScare propaganda did a lot to hammer this image in people's minds and became more and more prevalent at the height of the UsefulNotes/ColdWar. Especially in the USA, TV sitcoms, films and stand-up comedians liked to crack jokes about hideous Russian women.

# A young/middle-aged [[BrawnHilda muscled, mannish worker and/or athlete]], usually with [[GirlsWithMustaches moustache hairs]] and/or [[BigOlEyebrows heavy eyebrows]]. She may even wear a uniform and is generally unable to laugh.

* During the 2012 Series/EurovisionSongContest, the Russian entry included a group of older GenreSavvy women dressed up as grandmothers, pushing the stereotype UpToEleven.

* ''Born American'' (1986). One of the protagonists in the gulag gets hold of a coin and tries to purchase medical care for his friend. The FriendInTheBlackMarket says it's not enough, but as he's a young man he could use it to buy... ''(puts a finger through hole in coin and leers)'' We then cut to several male inmates looking through vents into the women's shower. Contrary to the usual GirlsBehindBars trope the women are rather unshapely, though that doesn't make any difference to the men.

* In the 1990's action series ''Soldiers of Barrabas'', the SOBS are on a mission to the Soviet Union and watch in bemusement as Alex Nanos (who works as a gigolo when he's not a mercenary) seduces a woman of this type. They conclude the only plausible reason is that he was born horny (though it doesn't hurt that the woman concerned is enthusiastically randy herself).

As with most stereotypes about people it's difficult to find out where these images came from, although Literature/BabaYaga, the WickedWitch from Myth/SlavicMythology, is an example from within the culture itself right down to her headscarf. What is certain for a fact is that the "ugly Eastern European woman" stereotype became more prevalent after UsefulNotes/TheRussianRevolution came in effect. Soviet propaganda always showed a lot of muscle strong women working in the fields alongside the men as their "comrade-in-arms". As fashion was considered ''bourgeois'' in Soviet society the industry in this field was fairly limited, resulting in domination of purely functional, often very ugly and shabby clothes designs. This also fit propaganda purposes, as it showed that everybody was equal. In the West, where the RedScare was strong, these strong Russian women were seen as a threat or something laughably repulsive. The default expectation for Western women was to be housewives and maintain a level of daintiness. Western RedScare propaganda also did a lot to hammer this image in people's minds and became more and more prevalent at the height of the UsefulNotes/ColdWar. Especially in the USA, TV sitcoms, films and stand-up comedians liked to crack jokes about hideous Russian women.

As with most stereotypes about people it's difficult to find out where these images came from, although Literature/BabaYaga, the WickedWitch from Myth/SlavicMythology, is an example from within the culture itself right down to her headscarf. What is certain for a fact is that the "ugly Eastern European woman" stereotype became more prevalent after UsefulNotes/TheRussianRevolution came in effect. Soviet propaganda always showed a lot of muscle strong women working in the fields alongside the men as their "comrade-in-arms". As fashion was considered ''bourgeois'' in Soviet society the industry in this field was fairly limited, resulting in domination of purely functional, often very ugly and shabby clothes designs. This also fit propaganda purposes, as it showed that everybody was equal. In the West, where the RedScare was strong, these strong Russian women were seen as a threat or something laughably repulsive. Most Western women were still expected to be housewives and even those who did work for a living were not particularly encouraged when doing so. Apart from that the muscular Russian women looked like bitchy manwives in most Western males' eyes. Western RedScare propaganda also did a lot to hammer this image in people's minds and became more and more prevalent at the height of the UsefulNotes/ColdWar. Especially in the USA, TV sitcoms, films and stand-up comedians liked to crack jokes about hideous Russian women.

* ''Film/JumpinJackFlash''.

** On another occasion, a female weightlifter makes advances to Nanos while he's at the gym. Nanos thinks that normally he wouldn’t go for this type but as it's been a while since he got laid he goes for it. She turns out to be a KGB assassin who tries to [[ComingAndGoing murder him during the act.]]