Sovereign woman, iconoclast, mother of two, and sister to many. Decolonization is a way of life that requires us to remember that we are all connected and if we can hold that close, maybe we will find our way home, where sovereignty and community grow in sync. For me, the first step was the realization that pregnancy and birth are the natural states of being in a female body, that are meant to be ceremonial rites of passage for women. Once I reclaimed my innate right to birth outside the system, I could no longer bypass and default my power away... Pathologizing our bodies and minds serves so many institutional purposes, it has fueled and created massive industries, that are designed to take the agency away from people, esp. women, creating the illusion of safety. Industrialized birth is a trauma-based initiation ritual, the result of which is a world full of multiple generations of people who lack the capacity to discern their own subjugation and abuse. We need to stop this vicious circle to heal and not transmit the trauma to the next generation.

Photographer: Mher Galstyan

Location: Shorja, Sevan Lake