A Free Daughter of Free Kyrgyzstan

With her courageous, independent voice, young Kyrgyz singer Zere Asylbek sparks solidarity among women. But as freedom of speech and expression are suppressed and Zere faces more and more extreme accusations, the threats grow more menacing. Zere and her family increasingly worry: will she be able to face the mental pressures?  

Zere Asylbek (21) considers herself privileged to have been raised a free woman. ‘That’s very rare’, she says. As one interviewer puts it: ‘In traditional Kyrgyz families it is said that women should be lower than the grass, quieter than water’. Zere became famous at 19 with the release of her song ‘Girl’, which had combative lyrics about misogyny and the position of women in society, and a video which was seen as provocative. It caused a huge backlash in Kyrgyzstan, where stories of femicide, domestic violence and kidnappings of women and girls dominate the news.

While Zere uses her voice to inspire young women and girls to stand up for themselves and make their own choices, new laws threaten to stifle free speech and individual expression. Demonstrations are attacked by masked thugs, and demonstrators are arrested. As Zere’s activism attracts more attention, and the threats grow more menacing, she increasingly worries about her mental health. Her father advises her to be more cautious, but Zere refuses to be made afraid. ‘I don’t want to be ashamed to say I’m a feminist, or be scared of how the public reacts’, she says. ‘I only have one life and it’s happening right now.’