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Kurdish Women: Feminist Consciousness in the Diaspora
Abstract
The Kurdish movement’s left-wing and secular orientation created increasing discursive spaces for Kurdish women to shape their own ideological positions in pursuit of gender equality. As a consequence, Kurdish women have been deeply engaged in various forms of communal participation through acts of solidarity and political protest. Achieving gender equality became a central theme that shaped Kurdish movements in Turkey and Syria by pursuing modifications to organizational structures and the roles of women in larger society. The principle of co-leadership in Kurdish political parties and the formation of women’s militant groups such as the YPJ (Women's Protection Units, the all-female militia which is actively fighting in Rojava/Northern Syria) have fundamentally changed the lives of Kurdish women in the region. However, when Kurdish diaspora women in the Western Diaspora participate in acts of solidarity in support of their Kurdish sisters in the homeland, they regularly encounter unexpected challenges to their demands for equality and social justice. North-American and European-led grassroots organizations frequently focus on ending wars and militarism, and simultaneously demand that Kurdish women support elements of this particular agenda. On occasion, women-led peace initiatives in the West directly challenge Kurdish women in the Diaspora to re-think their positions and approaches in Rojava. This paper examines why Kurdish women encounter criticism from Western feminists instead of finding a sense of solidarity. In this context, several significant political developments are under examination, including the racial divisions within the Women’s March in 2019, the general lack of public support among feminists in the West for the revolution in Rojava, and patterns of cultural (mis)appropriation of the Kurdish struggle in the West. The presenter interviewed Kurdish women in the U.S., Canada, and Germany to contextualize the lived experiences of Kurdish diaspora women in pursuit of full equality and examines some of the causes for their disillusionment with feminist consciousness in the West.
Discipline
International Relations/Affairs
Geographic Area
Kurdistan
Sub Area
Diaspora/Refugee Studies