In Russia a declared equality of women together with a general negative attitude toward feminism (which were instilled in the former USSR) coexist with the present indefinite federal policy with regard to women, with absence or inactivity of laws against women's discrimination and sexism in mass media. The study aimed at finding how the situation had influenced attitudes toward female social roles of Russian students in comparison with their. USA peels, They rated 25 items of the questionnaire 'Attitude to Female Roles' by Slade and Jenner (1978). Differences in attitudes toward female roles in child care, status within marriage and age of retirement were discovered, with the Russian students being more traditionally oriented and the USA students demonstrating high agreement with each other and with profeminist values. The results are important as a base for work with Russian students targeted at changing their attitudes toward feminism, getting them aware of sexism and ways to withstand it.