Džuvljarke: Roma Lesbian Existence
 | |
| Author | Vera Kurtić |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Christina Piskoulidis |
Publication date | 2014 |
| ISBN | 978-86-88475-04-4 |
Džuvljarke: Roma Lesbian Existence, in Serbian: Џувљарке – лезбијска егзистенција Ромкиња, is a 2014 book by the Romani, Serbian writer Vera Kurtić in which the testimonies of Roma lesbian women about their daily life and the problems they face in their communities are recorded. It is the first book to record the non-heteronormative lives of Roma women.
Content
The book contains the testimonies of fifteen lesbian Roma women who talk about their daily lives and the problems they face in their communities. It represents a cultural-anthropological document and the first study is of its kind.[1] The very term "džuvljarka" is a term that in the Romani language, in the Serbian-speaking area, means a lesbian in a derogatory sense.[2] Most of the participants used the word lesbian for the first time in the interviews for the book.[3]
According to the author, the Roma lesbian community is still not materialized by a common goal, however, with this book, it acquires its own articulated voice. Through examples of the existence of Roma lesbians, the author explains the burdens of gender, race, national affiliation, class and minority sexual existence and their mutual intersection in discrimination.[3] The book shows not only the discrimination that takes place within the Roma community, but also that within the lesbian community by "white" lesbians.[4] It also discusses how classism intersects with other oppressions, to negatively affect the lives of Roman lesbian women.[5]
Other interviewees in the book also included members of non-LGBTQ Roman communities. Their testimonies demonstrated that although they recognised gay men and trans people within Roma society, lesbians were not visible in the same way.[6]
Reception
One of the most important aspects of the work is how it provides context for the experiences of Roma lesbian women.[7] Sociologist Laura Corradi has described how the work has significant implications for the social sciences as it shows a nuanced representation of community perspectives, that is critiques how patriarchy affects male feminists, and provides confirmation that mainstream feminism does not meet the needs of Romani women.[8] Activist Tjaša Kancler described the work as a "crucial book", which is explicit in its requirement that the needs of Romani lesbian women should be part of the wider dialogue on LGBTQ rights.[9]
References
- ^ "Džuvljarke: Priča o nevidljivim ženama". LGBTI.ba (in Bosnian). 2015-04-09. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
- ^ Belčević, Miloš (2014-12-27). "Džuvljarke: Priča o nevidljivim ženama". iSerbia (in Serbian). Retrieved 2023-04-07.
- ^ a b Redakcija (2017-05-01). "[:bs]Predstavljena knjiga „Džuvljarke", autorice Vere Kurtić[:]". UDAR (in Bosnian). Retrieved 2023-04-07.
- ^ Magazin, X. X. Z. (2019-04-08). "Lezbejska egzistencija Romkinja - XXZ Portal". www.xxzmagazin.com. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
- ^ Mate, Dezso. "The First Sparks of Romani LGBTQ." University of Sussex. Centre for Education and Equality Research (CHEER). United Kingdom. https://www. researchgate. net/publication/322791064_The_First_Sparks_ of_Romani_LGBTQ (2017).
- ^ Al-Kurdi, Ahmad. "Familial Frictions: Intersectional Inequalities Faced by Romani Queer Women." Critical Romani Studies 4.1 (2021).
- ^ Fremlová, Lucie, and Aidan McGarry. "Negotiating the identity dilemma: crosscurrents across the Romani, Romani women’s and Romani LGBTIQ movements." The Romani Women’s Movement. Routledge, 2018. 51-68.
- ^ Corradi, Laura. "Affective Politics and Alliances in ‘Queering the Gypsy’and Facing Antigypsyism in the LGBT Milieu." Critical Romani Studies 4.1 (2021).
- ^ Channell-Justice, Emily (2020-11-24). Decolonizing Queer Experience: LGBT+ Narratives from Eastern Europe and Eurasia. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-7936-3031-5.