Elisa Mariño
2 min readJul 28, 2022

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No. They have their own ideas on feminism within their culture. It is a mistake to assume that an indigenous women who, incidently, considers colonialism (western culture) the rooth of the patriarchy their experience, just the result of western feminism. That is your take, since you seem to think that women who didn't like unfair practices might just dislike it because western women told them so instead of disliking such practices because they suffer them on their own skin.

On the contrary, the voices of conservative women (western or indigenous) who comply with what men want from them are usually promoted by such men.

And there are punishments for the women who speak up against such practices. For exaple: honor killings and beatings.

No, it is not about women acepting western cultural norm which, by the way, is also patriarchal. It is about women speaking up against practices that while considered "part of the culture" are harmful to them. Another example: genital mutilation. It is cultural, it is also painful and wrong. Sure, some women enforce it in their daughters. At the same time, women who have suffered genital mutilation are speaking up and saying within their own culture that genital mutilation is wrong.

Same for such marriage where the girl has no say. Well, those girls who are forced to marry (honor killings are a punish for the girls who run away from such marriages), grow up and have their own say about that. And is happens, they don't want that for their daughters.

The only thing western feminist do is to offer a place (not even safe) to run to. And sometimes a few resources like teaching them how to read or a trade so they don't starve. Unsurprisingly, the indigenous women who are not OK with being forced to marry, take the help even if they have to deal with western feminist with savior complex. It is still better than the forced marriage.

You might ask yourself why someone would leave behind their family and everything they know. A few words from wester feminist or maybe their own experience there?

At every culture there are people who disent. Usually the ones who experience the harsher parts. If feminism is taking hold in most cultures, it is not because western feminist, it is because women doesn't enjoy being mistreated and now have it easier to talk among themselves instead of remaining isolated.

You patronized indigenous feminist by saying that they doesn't have their own criteria.

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Elisa Mariño
Elisa Mariño

Written by Elisa Mariño

Fiction is the art to tell lies to show truths. Politics is the art to use truths to tell lies.

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