“Sonita, The Feminist Afghan Rapper Fighting Against Child Marriage, Will Give You Chills”
“Sonita’s family had moved to Iran when she was eight, fleeing the war that raged in Afghanistan. Since she didn’t have a legal ID, Sonita couldn’t go to school, and instead cleaned bathrooms at an NGO, which taught her how to read and write. That’s when she started writing poetry — and listening to hip hop. The first rapper she remembers hearing? Eminem. Even though she didn’t understand his lyrics, when she heard the music, Sonita realized she could tell her own story — and started writing songs of her own. She struggled to find studio space; in Iran, it is illegal for a woman to sing without special permission from the government. But with the help of a few rebellious producers, she started recording…
In 2014, Sonita had another big break: She won a competition to write an anthem to get voters in Afghanistan to the polls. Her prize? $1,000. She was finally able to show her parents that she could contribute to her household without a man’s support. Shortly thereafter, she was offered a full scholarship to study music at Wasatch Academy in the United States.”
Watch the video!
I wonder if she actually identifies as feminist, especially now that she’s in the US and she’ll be dealing with hella white feminists who are used to gesturing at the middle east and not used to it having a voice.
