Cyberspace and Redefinition of gender roles; Construction of Femininity Conflicts on Kurdish Facebook

Abstract

In this study, we have investigated the conflicts of femininity on Kurdish Facebook. Historically, Kurdish women have had little opportunity to engage in political, cultural, economic or social affairs. But with the growth of communication media and the emergence of cyberspace, they have been given the opportunity to engage in these affairs. Although the use of Kurdish women in cyberspace has somewhat improved their political, cultural, economic or social situation, it may lead to conflicts in their gender identity and femininity. The research method is virtual critical ethnography. The field of critical ethnography has been Kurdish Facebook. The research data have been collected from a wide range of non-structured interviews, pictures, participatory and non-participatory observations, and field notes. Facebook comments, Facebook members' profiles, public groups on Facebook, shared videos on Kurdish women's issues on Facebook have been analyzed using the constructivist grounded theory. Findings of the research show that Kurdish women on Facebook have constructed two main dimensions of femininity: Critique of patriarchal structure and praise of women's activism. Critique of patriarchal structure includes depoliticization of femininity, disowning feminine body and disembedding cultural aspect of femininity. Praise of women's activism includes female resistance; representation as action, Sanctification of women's suffering; negative action and praise for women's individualism. However, there are several layers of conflicts of femininity including representation of the women's aggrieved situation. On Kurdish Facebook, we are seeing the representation of women's oppression, while there is little attempt at interpreting the situation and providing solutions to emancipation.

Keywords

• cyberspace
• redefinition of gender roles
• femininity
• facebook
• women's aggrieved situation