There are unmistakable threads connecting us! The struggle is against a system that forces everyone to be a copy of the same mold—a system that fears our departure from the norms of “hegemonic masculinity” or “submissive femininity.” Just as women fight not to be reduced to a body or a narrow social role, LGBTQIA+ individuals fight not to be reduced to sexual orientations or gender identities. This was the conclusion drawn from the responses of speakers at a conference held by the Guardians of Equality movement in Brussels less than a year ago, where a striking queer feminist presence was observed.
Feminist Intersectionality: How Interwoven Identities Multiply Challenges
The term intersectional feminism emerged in the 1980s, coined by American scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw to describe how overlapping identities can create additional forms of discrimination and oppression. Crenshaw defines it by stating: “Intersectionality is not simply about recognizing diversity; it is an acknowledgment that oppression comes in multiple forms.” She illustrates this by comparing the differing experiences of discrimination and oppression faced by a Black American woman versus a white American woman.
In a queer context: The experience of a trans woman in Syrian society differs from that of a lesbian woman. Similarly, the experience of a disabled gay individual differs from that of a non-disabled gay individual.
The importance of intersectionality lies in its ability to reveal that discrimination and oppression are not based on simple binaries (male or female) but rather on complex and overlapping hierarchies. In this context, a Syrian researcher and academic, who is also part of the LGBTQIA+ community, highlighted in our conversation the varying degrees of marginalization experienced by women and LGBTQIA+ individuals. While there are similarities and intersections in the mechanisms of oppression targeting both groups, he categorizes the differences in experiences on two levels.
Legally: “Women are treated unfairly—they are restrained, restricted, their rights are limited and incomplete, and the law in Syria does not protect them. Meanwhile, LGBTQIA+ individuals are entirely criminalized by the law.”
On an individual level as well, the degrees of discrimination and oppression faced by LGBTQIA+ individuals differ from those faced by women, according to the Syrian academic:
“Within the same family, for example, some members may allow women greater space and freedom, while others support restricting them. However, LGBTQIA+ individuals are more likely to face violence, rejection, and persecution from family members and relatives if they openly express their gender identity.”
Women’s Day: A Cycle of Ongoing Violence and “No Feminist Presence Inside”
This year’s International Women’s Day in Syria is marked as the first after the fall of the Assad regime. It serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by Syrian women, who have endured and contributed immensely over the past 14 years. The Syrian researcher emphasizes the need to “bring justice to Syrian women and acknowledge the marginalization they continue to face.”
While change is a cumulative, complex, and long-term process beyond individual control, he observes an almost total absence of feminist movements or activism inside Syria. This, in turn, has a direct impact on the situation of LGBTQIA+ individuals.
“As LGBTQIA+ individuals, we deeply empathize with the oppression faced by women, but we do not see the same level of empathy from them toward us. We fight fiercely because we believe that if women achieve justice, we too may gain some measure of it.”
The researcher illustrated this point by referencing recent acts of violence against trans women in Syria, where some of the supportive reactions toward the violence came from women themselves.
“Strangely, Syrian women sometimes fail to see that LGBTQIA+ individuals are also vulnerable and marginalized. In other words, women—who share a common struggle against oppression with queer individuals—can sometimes participate in perpetuating the oppression directed at sexual and gender minorities, seeing them as the weakest link.”
For this reason, he believes that Syria remains trapped in a long cycle of violence—one that will take a significant amount of time to dismantle.
Thus, both women and sexual and gender minorities in Syria face shared challenges and overlapping mechanisms of oppression, as they are perceived as deviating from the “moral” standards of masculinity. Their experiences intertwine in multiple ways and intersect in a discourse rooted in the idea that the liberation of women begins with the liberation of gender identities.
