In a recent movie Birthday Girl, a lonely bank teller from a small town in England logs onto a Russian internet dating site and lands himself a mail-order bride. Soon after, the benevolent Russian girl, played by Nicole Kidman, coned her new husband into robbing a bank.

In reality, mail-order brides account for more than occasional odd movie scripts, with a growing number of American men meeting their wives through international dating services. Based on statistics, more than 100 000 women from all over the world annually advertise themselves as "available for marriage." The majority of these women are from Russia and the former Soviet Union. Although, traditionally, the on-line women industry was dominated by agencies in the Pacific Rim, in the last 5 years, Internet clubs, "specializing" in women from the former Soviet Union, overtook the market. About 600 dating agencies provide introduction to women from that region. According to a USCIS report, 51% of mail-order agencies are based in the former USSR.

Why do American men want to marry Russian women? There is no simple answer to this question. The popularity of the "Russian wife" phenomenon is due to various factors that include cultural and economic stereotypes of Russian women that have spread all over the world. As an editor of a Russian language newspaper in the Midwestern USA, I raise the topic of Russian-American marriages in every issue of our publication. So far, I've received a great deal of feedback. Many American men, who want to find a Russian wife, called me lately. Someone asked my advice on how to find a Russian girl; someone discussed the articles from our paper; others just shared opinions about Russian-American marriages.

I asked all of the men why they wanted to marry Russian women. Surprisingly, the answers were the same time and again. All my respondents talked about "traditional values." They explained that they desired to marry Russian women to have a wife that will be happy as a homemaker, asking for nothing more than a husband, a home, and a family. 

"I want to marry a Russian girl because I am completely unhappy with American women," - said  45-year-old Leroy White from Dallas. "All they want is my money, my car, my position. All American women are career-oriented; they don't want to take care of the family. According to what I know about Russian ladies, they have traditional values: family is everything to them."

"Marriage to a Russian woman is a dream of my whole life because Russian women are very good-looking; they don't know much of feminism," - 47-year-old Dan Glaver from Kansas City answered. "Many American men are unhappy with their feminism-influenced women, whose dream is their rights, their career, and their self-esteem. Besides, I want to find a girl not older than 25. Here, in America, my chances are not high. With Russian women, they are almost 100 %, as I was told."

"I got tired of career-obsessed American women, and read that Russian girls are less materialistic, undemanding and more appreciative of men," - said 41-year-old Sam Tulip from Saint Louis. "Russian women combine European appearance with Asian patience."

"I like the idea of marrying a Russian girl because Russian women are more feminine and more traditional," said 35-year old Terry Grant from Boston.  "I read on the website that Russian women expect their man to be the head of the family. It is exactly what I want from my future wife."

"I want to marry Russian woman because the women from the former Soviet republics are unspoiled, shy, educated, and possess homemaking skills," said 45-year-old Mike Goodwin from Des Moines. "The economic situation in those countries is still bad, so the women can appreciate life in America and not be very demanding."

I can go on citing my sources. There would be different names, ages, cities, but the ideas about Russian women would be alike. Where did all this come from? All men named Internet dating agencies that introduce Russian women to Western men.    

"For Russian women, the most important thing is family. She really considers that her basic mission is to be a mother. She will never envy the women who go after money and careers… Many of them are brought up with traditional family values; therefore they possess superb homemaking skills."

"They are far less concerned with material wealth and more determined to be good wives and mothers. A Russian women - even if she is the best doctor, lawyer, or scientist - would prefer a appy and stable family life to the pursuit of her own career."

Ah! All agencies cycle the same myth about the beautiful and undemanding Russian girl, whose dream is to submit to the nice American husband (the desire to be engaged in domestic chores and children only) and to sacrifice everything for her family!

One can examine the stereotypes of the dating agencies for hours. Even their names are very similar: A Pretty Wife, A Pretty Woman, A Pretty Wife from Russia, My Pretty Russian Wife, Adorable Ladies, Adorable Ladies from Russia, Adorable Russian Ladies and so on.

"You have to forget the cliché about the Russian women's only wish about a life as a domestic housewife. While Russian wives still have very old-fashioned traditional family values, a lot of them are also interested in a successful career," - one of the more honest marriage sites warned its clients . "You have to avoid the "victim" pattern: when you think about her as a person who was suffering in her home land from horrible life conditions, - constantly drunk Russian men, mafia, etc. - and who will be grateful for the rest of her life that you helped her to escape and reach "the American paradise."

Why do the on-line agencies, with rare exception, portray a false image of Russian women? Very simple! No one wants to buy a demanding, materialistic Western feminist, who is not interested in family values - so let's offer for sale an undemanding Russian woman with traditional values. It is a market with its own laws, a big industry with colossal profit. Don't forget about it!