The ‘Other’ Female Tale: An Intersectional Analysis of the Ahmadiyah Women and Girls’ Experience in Indonesia

This paper explores the intersectional experiences of different Ahmadiyah females residing in Bogor, Manis lor and Padang (Indonesia), asking whether intersectionality as a theoretical tool can provide us with critical analysis regarding the intersections of multiple identities owned by different Ahmadiyah females. The objective of this research is to make public the different experiences faced by Ahmadiyah females and endeavors to juxtapose it with previous and current universal views concerning their experiences along the lines of their religious belonging. Moreover, through the many group and individual interviews conducted in the fieldwork, I discovered something more nuanced and profound than discrimination, but rather protection. Based on the fieldwork I developed my argument to view that intersectionality not only helped this research to look at the discrimination due to the many layers of Ahmadiyah females’ identity, but also opens the ‘other’ door of intersectionality, which facilitates the explanation regarding their protection. Relevance to Development Studies In regard to the homogeneous perspective regarding Ahmadiyah women, this research paper offers another viewpoint of looking at the different experiences of different Ahmadiyah females.Through intersectionality, this paper aspires to give a new paradigm to the use of intersectionality from another angle, an angle thatis common to explain oppression or discrimination. Although discrimination occurred, protection on the basis of identity solidarity also coincides with other different females’ personhood sharing the same religious belongings.