“Speaking Truth to Power” in Transnational Feminist History
Keywords:
transnational feminism, feminist orientalism, power dynamics, intersectionality, historical resistance, global feminismAbstract
This article analyzes moments of resistance within transnational feminist history where women from diverse cultures challenged dominant power structures. The author contends that the late nineteenth century through World War II saw a dominance of Western women in transnational organizations, leading to feminist orientalist assumptions and exclusionary practices. Through case studies such as Chiyin Chen's protest at the 1932 Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) congress and an unnamed Arab woman's critique at the 1935 İstanbul congress, the paper explores how women from non-Western backgrounds confronted these power dynamics. The article argues that these historical struggles remain relevant today, offering insights into contemporary transnational feminism. Key findings include the importance of intersectionality and the necessity of moving beyond 'gender-only feminism' to address broader issues of imperialism and economic inequality.(The abstract and keywords were prepared retrospectively for indexing purposes using AI-assisted tools and editorial review, based on the original article. They did not appear in the original publication.)
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