Asia Ramazan Antar
Asya Ramazan Antar (1998–2016), also known as Viyan Antar, was a Kurdish Women's Protection Units (YPJ) fighter who has become a symbol of the feminist struggle in the Rojava conflict and in the fight against ISIS, by international media. In 2014, at the age of 16, Viyan joined the YPJ with the aim of fighting against the Islamic State. After photos of her spread across the internet, she was dubbed ""the Kurdish Angelina Jolie"" by international media for her physical resemblance. These comparisons led to repudiation by other Kurdish fighters and activists of the Kurdish cause  who described the comparisons as sexist and objectifying. Early life. Born into a Kurdish family, Viyan married very young through a marriage arranged by her family. After three months, she got divorced and joined the ranks of the Women's Protection Units (YPJ) with the ideal of fighting for the emancipation of women from the hands of patriarchal oppression in the region. The information given by Western media regarding her age has been inconsistent, although YPJ commander Abdullah Shirin confirmed that she was born in 1998 and was 18 years-old when she died. Transcendence in the media. Viyan gained  international attention in 2015 when a photojournalist took photos of her and described her as ""the Kurdish Angelina Jolie"." Many media sites recirculated the photos, turning it into news and also comparing her with Spanish actress Penélope Cruz. After she died, it was news once again, and news headlines were reduced to "the Kurdish Angelina Jolie has died," emphasizing at all times the physical resemblance between the two and rarely discussing her participation in the fight against ISIS. This was condemned by supporters of the Kurdish cause and even other fighters. Reactions and accusations of sexism. The minimization of her  as a person was seen as demeaning by many Kurdish activists, especially given Viyan's feminist leanings. Choman Kanaani, an activist and Kurdish fighter who repudiated the Western media's treatment of Viyan, told the BBC that, "The entire philosophy of YPJ is to fight sexism and prevent using women as a sexual object," in reference to the YPJ's position on sexism. He added: Death. Viyan died while distracting the enemies to save her friends. She continued to shoot at them until she could no longer move as she was hit with bullets and the last bullet that hit  her in the eye, made her a martyr. Manbij offensive.