Feminism in the hands of militarism

“On the Barricades” s05e11

In the discouse on the war in Ukraine there are plenty of examples of articles, op-eds, and analysis wherein feminism is stripped of its essence and used to advocate a pro-war agenda. The establishment subordinates feminism to its interests, for example, by highlighting the choice of a female NATO leader, or by advocating for the recruitment of women into the military. Arguments craftily go from womens’ rights to promoting the sale of weapons. Where is this kind of debate on “the complex relationship of gender and war” going? And where is the international feminist movement that’s anti-imperialist?

In this first episode of this week’s release of “On the Barricades”, hosts Maria Cernat and Boyan Stanislavski take up these questions and discuss such distortions of feminism under the pressures of the war-time propaganda.