The Intersectionality of Gender, Immigration, Culture and Transnational Abandonment Manisha Gupte, PhD Aarohan, August 24, 2013, New Brunswick, USA

Why is an intersectional approach essential in understanding transnational abandonment of South Asian women and children in the USA Intersectionality of gender, sexuality (including heteronormativity), class, caste, physical and mental ability, reproduction, religion, culture, understanding of wife and children as men’s property

Abandonment in South Asia and here: similarities and differences (both individual and general) Reasons for abandonment: individual and systemic An unwanted marriage hurts a woman more than a man; abandonment of women (from emotional to actual) is a more likely outcome (even if the man was forced into the marriage for whatever reason) Justification and support of families, communities and sometimes even the State (through laws and political systems) for abandonment of women

The importance of ‘community’ in a ‘foreign’ country (family support, economic, social, cultural, identity, link to ‘back home’, settling down in receiving country, bringing in more people ‘like us’ here) Women as ‘binders’ of the community and as being more answerable to it (conforming and adhering to codes and norms; fulfilling expectations of reproduction and sexuality; bearing sons; accepting violence; being the link of culture between the two countries)

Why do women hesitate to contact “outsiders” (outside the family; culture; law enforcement services in the US), especially when families contact the same people for other purposes such as accidents, civil suits and so on? The artificial divide between the public and private domains on the one hand, and the collusion of private and public patriarchies to disenfranchise women in both domains on the other

Lack of complete assimilation of women in the receiving country in small and mammoth areas of daily living; feeling small and inadequate; loneliness; fear and mistrust of foreigners or outsiders Conflicting child-rearing expectations: Family ‘back home’, ‘here’ in the US (South Asian and non-South Asian peer of children and mothers), by husband and his family, by child protection agencies and other State agencies

Myths and stereotypes about situations back in the ‘home’ country (frozen image of how parents will respond, where friends or peer are back home in terms of rights and privileges) Preserving myths about how wonderful life is in the US, until it is too late Shame and dishonour about returning home; parents having to preserve myths in the wider community back in South Asia (loss of face about daughter returning home, especially from abroad) Caught between lack of confidence, ability or willingness to settle down back home, wanting to want to make things work here for self and children and determination to fight for justice in the place where the violence / abandonment took place

The intersectionality of abandonment with immigration laws and women’s dependence on men Leaving without documents, full knowledge or sharing of information with family on their trip back home Lack of complete or accurate information about visa, residency or citizenship status (of oneself and of children) Not being able to leave the home safely in the USA; instead being abandoned in another country Lack of access to law enforcement or legal services due to lack of awareness of rights (of self or children) in the US

Creating an intersectional approach that deals with women’s and children’s rights Our approaches and strategies need to challenge patriarchy, caste, class, religious fundamentalisms, harmful cultural practices, laws and political systems, homophobia and transphobia, racism, immigration laws and policies, xenophobia, neo-liberal globalisation and market systems that dehumanise people

Part II – Table discussion points In what ways does the intersectionality of gender, immigration, culture and laws affects transnational abandonment in the US? How do we deal with different and conflicting laws in South Asia when abandonment of women happens? How is child custody affected? What happens when the child is abandoned outside of the US, especially if the child is a US citizen but the mother is not? What joint strategies do we need to evolve with other South Asian women’s groups in the USA? What joint strategies do we need to evolve with other women’s groups in the USA? What joint strategies do we need to evolve with women’s groups in South Asia? Can we share list serves, legal and other information among ourselves so that battered or abandoned women can best access our services in the US as well as in their home countries?