The Poetics of Pakistani Patriarchy: A Critical Analysis of the Protest-signs in Women’s March Pakistan 2019

Abstract

The Pakistani variant of Women’s March Aurat March celebrated its second year in March 2019. The current study focuses on the issues raised by the participants during Aurat March 2019 to define patriarchy from a Pakistani-out-on-the-street feminist struggle. It analyses the protest signs, slogans, messages, and concerns raised through banners in the march. The paper attempts to offer a unique perspective on Pakistani patriarchy by analyzing the voice of the women instead of any theorization or enactment of the voice. It employs visual and textual methods to understand the view of the participants and finds that the participants of the Aurat March take patriarchy to be an institution that confines them to traditional gendered roles of homemakers, objectifies them, polices their minds as well as bodies and curtails both their movement and civil rights. The study also found elements of resistance to the patriarchal domination for instance through re-appropriation and redefining gender roles. The study stands to be a significant contribution to the discussion on women's issues and women's voices and help understand the nature of Pakistani patriarchy and the type of resistance against it.