Everyday Photos of Soviet Women

Women in the Soviet Union formally had equal rights with men. The reality however sometimes looked a little different. Soviet propaganda glorified a woman-mother, a woman-worker and comrade-in arms.

Miss KGB contest winner Yekaterina Mayorova, 1990

Welder Raya Moldovan working at the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station. Photo by Vsevolod Tarasevich, Ukrainian SSR, 1960s

People in a queue. Photo by Vladimir Vorobiev, Novokuznetsk, 1982

Fur hats ad from hard currency catalogue by Vneshposyltorg, 1967

Photo by Emmanuil Evzerikhin, Moscow, 1930s

Actress Dodo Chogovadze, still from "Aladdin and his Magic Lamp",1967

Moscow police lieutenant, criminal investigator Nina Demchenko at home. Photo by Yuri Abramochkin,1968

Novosibirsk ladies. Photo by Nathan Farb, 1977

Fashion model Tamara Vladimirtseva, 1969

Photo by Sergei Borisov,1989

Uzbek girl. Photo by Max Penson, 1930

Builder of Moscow metro,1930s