Gendered Racialization and Social Justice – Seeking Interviews with Armenian Women Who Have Migrated from Turkey

Exploring gendered oppression, discrimination, and populism through transnational feminist endeavors, I aim to bridge academia and grassroots activism. We confront societal perceptions that oversimplify and stereotype immigrant women from the Global South, often portraying them as a homogeneous, victimized group, neglecting their agency.

My research acknowledges the multifaceted nature of identities, particularly those of immigrant women from Turkey. Cultural identity, intertwined with politics, gender, ethnicity, and race, plays a significant role. Contrary to homogenizing experiences, my research delves into the unique challenges faced by immigrant women from Turkey in the United States, emphasizing their diverse backgrounds.

Focusing on women from different ethnic, religious, ideological, and sexual backgrounds, I name my research group “women from Turkey” instead of “Turkish women” to highlight their diverse identities. This approach showcases that stereotyping women from the Global South, particularly immigrant women from Turkey, is a mistake. We must contextualize their voices and experiences based on their identity-based diversities. My feminist ethnographic research will derive primary data from participants’ narratives, incorporating an intersectional lens to understand race, gender, class, and other oppressions. In-depth interviews with women from Turkey will explore their agency, racialization, and identification experiences in different spaces.

My work, both in academia and grassroots activism, aims to echo voices often unheard in narratives of gendered racism. In a global landscape filled with disparities, transnational feminist solidarity becomes crucial. We must explore decolonizing knowledge production, ensuring diverse voices are heard and valued.

As a transnational feminist activist scholar, I aim to challenge frameworks dominated by both Western perspectives and autocrat/oppressive/populist leaders, dismantling discourses affecting immigrant women. Drawing from the experiences of women from the Global South is crucial in emphasizing diverse perspectives.

Now, as individuals and communities from different backgrounds, we must unite our voices and strengths to document discrimination, violence, and persecution that force women to migrate and face further discrimination. Together, we can create awareness and take action. We must recognize the emotional impact of activism on immigrant women and their potential for reduced distress when advocating for equality. By reconceiving culture and religion as spaces for reasoned, autonomous, and democratic participation, we empower transnational feminist work to challenge all forms of gendered populism.