Conceptualizing feminist solidarity through resistance in the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement

Abstract

The question of what constitutes solidarity (and what does not) has been a persistent concern for feminist scholars. In this conceptual article, we develop a distinction between superficial feminist solidarity and substantive feminist solidarity, grounded in illustrations of digital resistance during the transnational “Woman, Life, Freedom” feminist movement. The categories of superficial feminist solidarity and substantive feminist solidarity provide a framework for critically distinguishing between the range of actions in the movement and understanding their respective logics, practices, and implications. Superficial feminist solidarity actions may raise awareness, but often do so in the service of building consensus for Western feminism. In contrast, substantive feminist solidarity manifests as anti-colonial praxis that advances demands for social justice through a horizontal dynamic with people subjected to inhumane conditions.