Charting Gender Difference in Contemporary Romanian Feminist Poetry

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to investigate the assertion of gender difference and gender identity in contemporary Romanian feminist poetry, taking the works of Medeea Iancu, Iuliana Lungu, Mădălina Oprea, and Nóra Ugron as its starting point. This study will underline recurring thematic patterns, highlighting the priority awarded, within these poetry collections, to matters pertaining to textuality, as well as to the peripheral position of women writers within the literary field. As a result of the uneven development of Eastern Europe’s women’s movement(s) during the post-communist transition, Romanian feminism can be described as a synthesis between Second- and Third Wave feminist themes (Miroiu), namely as having haphazardly imported both issues pertaining to “difference-” and to intersectional feminism. The emphasis local feminist poets place on positing difference, as well as on embracing a fluid identity, has motivated the usage of a theoretical framework based on the concepts of “sexual/gender difference”, and justified the attempt of linking these literary projects to the tradition of so-called “French post-structuralist feminism”. Lastly, this study proposes an overview of the possible political relevance that “neomaterialist” (Braidotti) strands of feminism may hold today, as well as an outline of some of the limitations that they pose.