Iraqi women and U.S. occupation: decolonizing online resistance

In March 2003, the United States military invaded Iraq and altered the history, geography, and culture of the country forever. To justify this invasion, the Bush administration framed Iraqi women as citizens needing to be 'saved' from their government and people. During times of war, women are left to care for their nation through upholding family values, culture, and economic prosperity. However, because women take on the significant role of upholding a nation during war, they also experience the most violence. This research locates how female Iraqi citizens experienced and resisted the colonizing powers of the U.S. while upholding the culture and nation. This work decentralizes oppressive western rhetoric by honoring female Iraqi experiences. Utilizing a critique of vernacular discourse, I locate Iraqi women's ability to affirm their culture while simultaneously opposing Eurocentric power structures through online discourse.