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“Janin, Zand, Ajouyi” and Decolonizing “Iranian Genders” Baloch Women Collective Offers an Anti-Racist Narrative of the Woman, Life, Freedom
Abstract
This paper argues for the significance of Baloch Feminism and the endeavor to deconstruct and decolonize the concept of "Iranian Genders" as a pivotal theoretical accomplishment within the Woman, Life, Freedom movement. Reclaiming the slogan "Janin, Zand-Ajoyi," Baloch women's collective, Desgoharan, has issued three statements and published numerous articles highlighting the intersectional histories of violence against their communities. In their writings, they tackle issues such as their exclusion from Iranian national citizenship, the pivotal role of sexual violence in shaping Baloch women's experiences, and the dual vulnerability of Baloch masculinities, which are both targeted by state violence and implicated in the oppression of Baloch women. Furthermore, they delve into the lives of the Baloch working class, who engage in fuel smuggling as a survival strategy, the high rates of execution within their communities, and the pervasive precarity that characterizes their existence. To amplify and incorporate these invaluable voices into Iranian feminist scholarship, this paper draws upon Maria Gonzales' scholarly insights and the concept of the "coloniality of gender." It delves into how these voices challenge the existing discourse in Iranian and Iranian diasporic feminism by dismantling conventional notions of nationhood and gender. Most importantly, it elucidates their role in fostering a more comprehensive and anti-racist understanding of the Woman, Life, Freedom Movement through an intersectional lens.
Discipline
Anthropology
Geographic Area
Iran
Sub Area
None