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[Nakharar]

“Immoral Propaganda” or “Just Like a Grocery”?: Yerevan gets a sex shop

By Suren Deheryan
ArmeniaNow reporter

In what some praise as liberation, while others warn of sure iniquity, a “sex shop” has opened in the center of Yerevan.

“Sex and Life” is not the republic’s first “adult accessories” boutique, but it is the only. Two others had short lives in the mid 90s, but closed amid public disapproval, mostly from elderly.

Now, 28-year-old sex aide entrepreneur Petros Movsesyan is hoping times have changed enough to sustain his new business, which opened at the beginning of this month near the Cascade.

“The shop now serves as a museum,” says Movsesyan, laughing. “People come here as if it were a museum.They enter in a group, laugh at one or another assortment, but then they come separately to make purchases. There were women who phoned us to make sure there was no one in the shop, then entered and left quickly.”

Besides “toys of pleasure” for men and women the “sex museum” also has special women’s lingerie and perfumes, as well as different sexually-oriented novelty gifts. And the queen of the shop is the inflatable doll hanging on the wall for 17,000 drams ($40).

Sex toys from $10 to $70 come from the US, Germany and China.

“It can be considered an experimental shop, however we already have different orders that will be imported to Armenia. And it allows us to get a little idea about the demand here,” says Movsesyan. “Only about a hundred samples are presented now, which does not make the shop look impressive, but we will double it in the near future.”

In a society that largely believes men who wear earrings or goatees are gay, and that girls who wear mini-skirts are “whores” (see Short on Tradition”), merchandising sex is surely an adventurous venture.

But “Sociometer” independent sociological center director Aharon Adibekyan thinks that the presence of such a shop is necessary in the republic. According to Adibekyan, the polls conducted by the center show that about 80 percent of women and men over age 40 in Armenia live an unsatisfied sexual life.

“As a result, some soon become heavy, while others lose weight. On the other hand, the nervous and psychological system is disturbed, which is an occasion for family quarrels,” says Adibekyan.

“However I don’t think that it will be affordable to all, as it is an expensive pleasure. There will not be queues, but the shop will have its clientele,” says the sociologist. “It is important that it should be properly offered here, as the sex life culture is not yet formed in Armenia.”

Movsesyan says the idea to open a sex shop in Yerevan was very tempting, since it was to be the first with its peculiar assortment.

“Though, after opening we learned that there had been something similar. They say it was closed because of the complaints of elderly people,” Movsesyan says with anxiety, and adds: “fingers crossed, it seems that during the recent period people are experiencing progress.”

But not so much.

{ai116902.jpg|right}The chairman of the Armenian-Aryan Union (who has vowed to rid Government of homosexuals) says he will protect Yerevan from becoming Sin City through such vice.

“We are unequivocally against such behavior,” Armen Avetisyan told ArmeniaNow. “It is a way to propagandize immoral ideology, which will teach people to abandon physiology and switch to artificial actions.”

And then . . .

“Similarly, one can also propagandize doing that with the aid of a cucumber or cabbage, which will only lead to sexual insanity. We will do everything for this shop to be closed.”

Entrance to the shop is prohibited to minors. However, it is situated in a place where open-air events are held mainly for youths almost every month. According to the shop management, the main customers are above 30.

“Sex & Life” works 12 hours a day – until midnight, and movement begins during evening hours.

Shop assistant Yana, 25, says she is not the least shocked by the implements, gadgets and “adult toys” of her new job.

“There is a normal atmosphere here, and I get a great satisfaction out of working here,” says Yana, a designer by training. “I studied in France for several years, and sex shops are a usual phenomenon there. There were three sex shops in the street where I lived and people made purchases from those shops just like from a grocery store, without any embarrassment.”

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[Anahit]

I think, as far as the minors are not allowed in, it is ok to have such kind of shops. anyway, if there is no demand, they'll go down naturally. if such shops flourish, means the people need it. and if something is needed, but forbidden legally or by force, will flourish illegally anyway. so it's better to have it "on the surface", under control.

[Harut]

-mam, gnum em mi hat xanut, gam...
-inch xanut? inch a petq?
-rezinits bans pchatsel a, gman mi hat rezinits ban arnem, gam...
-mi hat el im hamar ar... en metsits... herd esor eli xmats a tun galu...

Edited by Harut, 06 November 2005 - 12:20 PM.