Alla Parunova ( Georgian: ალა პარუნოვა; born 1989 or 1990) is a Georgian feminist and queer activist. ^[1]

Parunova received the Kato Mikeladze Award in 2023. ^{[1] [2]}

Activism

Parunova became interested in feminism while working at a library. She was particularly inspired by one book she read, Elfriede Jelinek's novel Women as Lovers, which kickstarted her feminist analysis of her life experiences. She then began a gender studies master's degree, ^[3] during which she also realized how she was oppressed due to her queer and ethnic Armenian identities. ^[1] Her master's thesis explored "dominant discourses on sexuality" during the Brezhnev Era of the Soviet Union. ^[3]

Parunova became a member of the Georgian Young Greens in 2015, ^[3] and remained a member for 6–7 years, during which she became involved with feminist ^[4] and environmental activism. ^[1]

Early and personal life

Parunova was born in Varketili, Tbilisi, where she was raised by an Armenian-speaking family. She then studied Georgian and later, Russian, in school. As a child, she felt isolated from Georgian society, and has spoken on her experiences of assimilation. ^[1] She graduated from Tbilisi State University in 2012 with a bachelor's degree in English Language and Literature. ^[3]

Parunova speaks four languages. She identifies as queer, and described her sexuality as "inclusive, diverse, and...in the process of constant analysis". ^[1]

References