12/6/2022

Iranians Want Solidarity, Not Saviors

Since Sep 2022, we have seen people take to the streets globally to protest the oppressive Iranian regime. But how clear is it what Iranians are fighting for versus what Western media is narrating? And does the West understand the difference between solidarity and intervention? After the death of 22 year old Kurdish woman, Mahsa Zhina Amini, many Iranians have fought for an end to the Islamic Republic. They’re tired of the rampant corruption, the economic mismanagement, high inflation, water shortage, and 40 years of repression and systematic human rights violations. Iranians want a free, secular, democratic society and a political infrastructure that protects and guarantees it. But this isn’t the clear story Western media portrays of Iran–or any Middle Eastern country. Instead, we’re fed dichotomies like “free vs. oppressed” and “civilized vs. fanatical”. This leaves Iranians and many others as victims and with little to no agency. Reform is no longer enough in Iran today, and Iranian people are asking for support–not saviors. Will the international community listen–or will they continue to dehumanize this country as they have many others?

12/6/2022

Iranians Want Solidarity, Not Saviors

Since Sep 2022, we have seen people take to the streets globally to protest the oppressive Iranian regime. But how clear is it what Iranians are fighting for versus what Western media is narrating? And does the West understand the difference between solidarity and intervention? After the death of 22 year old Kurdish woman, Mahsa Zhina Amini, many Iranians have fought for an end to the Islamic Republic. They’re tired of the rampant corruption, the economic mismanagement, high inflation, water shortage, and 40 years of repression and systematic human rights violations. Iranians want a free, secular, democratic society and a political infrastructure that protects and guarantees it. But this isn’t the clear story Western media portrays of Iran–or any Middle Eastern country. Instead, we’re fed dichotomies like “free vs. oppressed” and “civilized vs. fanatical”. This leaves Iranians and many others as victims and with little to no agency. Reform is no longer enough in Iran today, and Iranian people are asking for support–not saviors. Will the international community listen–or will they continue to dehumanize this country as they have many others?

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The Partition of India Was Decided by Englishmen

Ms. Marvel pushes the 1947 Partition into pop culture through female teenage superhero Kamala Khan, inciting different reactions. Though histories and narratives of India, Pakistan & Bangladesh’s mass migration aren’t a monolith, they share one thing: pain. Kamala, played by Iman Vellani, is trying to figure herself out and learning about her family’s history. Talking to her Nani, Kamala learns about this pain that Partition caused to all involved. While some viewers resonated, others called it whitewashed or felt confused. To understand this varied response, it’s important to first understand what exactly happened in 1947 to create one of the largest forced migrations in history - one that led to 14 million displaced people, two million dead, and countless separated families–all created by the British. After 200 years of colonial rule, India was divided recklessly; Winston Churchill called Britain’s departure a “shameful flight”. As writer Urvashi Butalia noted, Partition was more than just a division of properties or politics, it was a 'division of hearts.' This year marked the 75th anniversary of Partition. After years of tense relations between the countries, four wars fought between them and persecuted minorities in both regions, the pain of Partition has never left. CREDIT Host & Producer Manal Ahmed Producer Stephanie Tangkilisan & Yuhong Pang & Yudistira Dilianzia & Joy Jihyun Jeong Director of Photography Muhammad Abbas Parkar Editor Rendy Albi Special Thanks Nishant Upadhyay Writer and Researcher Manal Ahmed & Sonia Baweja Editor in Chief Keshia Hannam Head of Production Stephanie Tangkilisan Animator Fitra Pratama Sound Mix David Alba Graphic Design Samuel Kang & Fitra Pratama & Annie Zhao

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Asian Horror Implies Misogyny Is Thriving

What Asian horror movies have proven is that there is nothing scarier than a woman, free from her shackles, wreaking havoc on society to get justice. Why is the ghostly, vengeful woman such a prevalent trope, and how does it represent misogyny across Asian cultures? From the infamous virgin ghost, to the seductive “femme fatale” archetypes, there are consistent depictions of the vengeful female spirit throughout Asian stories. The pale, long black-haired woman in a white dress is the scariest ghost of all. While these characters might begin as victims, they become terrifying villains, making it difficult to sympathize with their pain. It’s the unfair deaths these female characters experience that turn their spirits into monsters that are feared and not souls free to rest. There is little understanding of their suffering, or even their existence, mirroring the reality of many. It’s possible this trope persists because scary stories have often been the only outlet to name the violence women face. In patriarchal societies that view women as subservient, many women die in unfair suffering: murder, death connected to sexual assault, and forced suicide. Asian horror has evolved to incorporate deeper commentaries about women’s issues over time like marital anxiety, dissociative identity disorders, and becoming a widow. But irrespective of final outcome,being abused and thus vengeful continues to be the most natural character foundation of Asian women in horror stories and films.

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Iranians Want Solidarity, Not Saviors