Feminita
The Kazakh feminist initiative, Feminita, is a grassroots queer-feminist human rights organization working to protect the rights of women and the most oppressed groups in Kazakhstan (lesbians, bisexuals, queer and trans women, women with disabilities, and women engaged in sex work). Zhanar Sekerbayeva and Gulzada Serzhan, the co-founders of Kazakhstan feminist initiative Feminita are prominent women human rights defenders and LGBTQI+ activists in the Central Asian nation. Through their work as a research archive, creating podcasts, hosting community events, producing audio-visual projects, and much else, Feminita fights for cultural, economic, political, and social radical change for women, LGBTQ+ peoples, and sex workers.
Feminita recognizes feminism as a necessary force for the rights of oppressed groups to be heard, actualized and manifested, and maintains that feminism not only serves the rights of women’s, but should also be considered as a movement for human rights and the fundamental right to a dignified life for all.
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Resources
“Kazakhstan fails to register the LBQ initiative ‘Feminita’.” Amnesty International, Public Statement: EUR 57/0484/2019, 6 Jun. 2019, https://www.amnesty.org/ar/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/EUR5704842019ENGLISH.pdf.
“Kazakhstan: Feminist Group Denied Registration.” Human Rights Watch, 13 Sep. 2019, https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/09/13/kazakhstan-feminist-group-denied-registration.
Mekhdi, Leila. “Zhanar Sekerbayeva”s Fight for LGBTQ-Women”s Rights and Intersectional Feminism in Kazakhstan.” The Caspian Post, 20 May 2024, https://caspianpost.com/stories/zhanar-sekerbayevas-fight-for-lgbtq-womens-rights-and-intersectional-feminism-in-kazakhstan-central-asia-stories
“My activism isn’t motivated by kindness. It’s motivated by anger.” Amnesty International, 2 Jul. 2019, https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/impact/2019/07/zhanar-sekerbayeva-from-feminita-on-why-anger-motivates-her-activism/.
Paletta, Daniele. “What Do We Talk About When We Talk About Alliances and Solidarity Between the LGBTI and the Feminist Movements?” Ilga World, 3 Aug. 2024, https://ilga.org/podcast/podcast-making-rainbow-waves-1×06-feminist-initiative-feminita-kazakhstan/.
Piazza, Laura. “‘Anger Has Become Our Sister’: Kazakhstan’s Arrest of Zhanar Sekerbayeva Was an Attack on Rights.” Outright International, 11 Mar. 2025, https://outrightinternational.org/insights/anger-has-become-our-sister-kazakhstans-arrest-zhanar-sekerbayeva-was-attack-rights.
Schafer, Amy. “‘This is femicide’ – A year after domestic violence was criminalized in Kazakhstan, advocates are still fighting for further protections.” Penn State, Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, 16 May 2025, https://bellisariostudentmedia.psu.edu/story/this-is-femicideadvocates-keep-pushing-for-stronger-abuse-laws.
Teagan. “Protests, Polygamy, and Pride: A Conversation with Feminita’s Жанар Секербаева.” Carleton Nomads 2023, 16 May 2023, https://nomads2023.sites.carleton.edu/blogposts/protests-polygamy-and-pride-a-conversation-with-feminitas-жанар-секербаева/.
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