Episode 14: Dismantling the Victimization of Afghan Women with Madina Wardak
// Trigger Warning // During this episode, we discuss topics related to gender-based oppression, war, and historical trauma. If you need to at any point, pause, step away or just stop listening, I understand. Unpacking moments of profound communal trauma can be incredibly difficult.
White Feminism: Furthering Imperialist Euro American Superiority
From white saviorism to self-aggrandizing narratives, news coverage about what is unfolding in Afghanistan is creating a falsely dichotomous view of a complex and rich region suffocated by foreign occupation. The state of Afghan women has been and continues to be defined through the lens of white feminism, which furthers white supremacy through the victimization of Afghan women.
During Episode 14 of Art of Citizenry Podcast, Manpreet Kaur Kalra is joined by Madina Wardak, an Afghan community advocate, Mental Health Social Worker, and the founder of Burqas & Beer. Together, they deconstruct what is happening in Afghanistan, the history of American imperialism, the oppression of Afghan women in global narratives, and the intersections of white feminism and misogyny.
“Misogyny and patriarchy are global problems but by hyper focusing on the SWANA (South West Asian/ North African) region, that’s racist, because you assign those issues as inherently SWANA men traits when its actually well-documented that violence against women only increase in war zones.” - Madina Wardak
White feminism is built on centering Euro-American so-called progressive views as the pinnacle of women’s liberation. It rejects intersectionality and complexity, instead manifesting in the form of white saviorism, fueled by the very system it claims to challenge: misogyny.
Over the past week, much of the conversation around Afghanistan has been focused on the “liberation of Afghan women.” These calls for “liberation” are a manifestation of Euro American imperialism under the guise of white feminism. The same narratives of “women’s liberation” that were used to justify war 20 years ago continue to dominate headlines without acknowledging the ways in which war, foreign occupation, and imperialism only further exasperate harm.
When it comes to Afghan women, we have equated what they wear to degrees of oppression. By doing so, we have made “freedom” synonymous with western fashion standards instead of centering what “freedom” means to Afghan women themselves which includes their self-defined priorities around access to economic, education, and political agency. By centering Euro American standards around what liberation looks like, we are sidelining the voices that we should be listening to: the voices of Afghan women who are on the grounds challenging the systems they live in.
Take Action
Make space to listen, learn from, and amplify Afghan voices
Check out the show notes for resources on ways you can take action and help Afghan refugees who are having to rebuild their lives.
Reach out to your local Congressional representative, ask them to increase refugee quotas and accept All Afghan asylum seekers. You can do this by texting Crisis to 52886.
Avoid using oversimplified language and tropes rooted in imperialist ideologies about Afghan people.
Connect with Our Guest
Madina Wardak is a displaced Afghan settled on Tongva Land (Los Angeles, CA). Madina studied Political Science with an emphasis on the Middle East, and Social Work. She is the founder of Burqas & Beer, a social media platform Madina that explores identity, mental health, SWANA current events, and truth-telling. She currently serves as a Youth Advocate for a transitional living program and is on track to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
Connect + Support Madina’s Work: Instagram
Links to Articles Cited in this Episode
Be sure to check out the amazing work being put together by local grassroots organizations and check out the comprehensive toolkit compiled by the American Muslim Empowerment Network: http://www.tinyurl.com/WAHelpAfghansAug25
To learn more about the historical context around Afghanistan’s occupation and learn about Afghan women on the grounds addressing systemic oppression, please watch: https://vimeo.com/588460426
Lawyer for Afghan girls’ robotics team tells Oklahoma woman to stop taking credit for rescue
Headscarves and Hymens: Why the Middle East Needs a Sexual Revolution by Mona Eltahawy
Clip of Representative Carolyn Maloney’s speech in a burqa on the House floor
The Durand Line: A British Legacy Plaguing Afghan-Pakistani Relations
Afghan Women, Journalists + Orgs to Follow:
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