️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️  (CNN) The image of the braided Kurdish female fighter, donning military camouflage and taking up arms against the militant group ISIS, may have done more to promote the Kurdish cause in the West than anything else in recent years. (CNN) The image of the braided Kurdish female fighter, donning military camouflage and taking up arms against the militant group ISIS, may have done more to promote the Kurdish cause in the West than anything else in recent years. <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> ️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️ ️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️ ️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk> Images of smiling young female fighters brandishing weapons with a hint of glamour ("girls with guns", as Russell calls this type of portrayal) tend to portray more of the photographer's assumptions about the woman's emancipation than her actual experiences as a Kurdish woman in combat. <unk> Images of smiling young female fighters brandishing weapons with a hint of glamour ("girls with guns", as Russell calls this type of portrayal) tend to portray more of the photographer's assumptions about the woman's emancipation than her actual experiences as a Kurdish woman in combat. Russell consciously avoids this uncomplicated portrayal of female fighters.<unk> Russell consciously avoids this uncomplicated portrayal of female fighters. ️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk> "I think that the female fighters are used quite cynically by Kurdish leaders (who) know very well how attractive this image is to the Western media".<unk> "I think that the female fighters are used quite cynically by Kurdish leaders (who) know very well how attractive this image is to the Western media". Having lived in Kurdistan for nearly two years, Russell understands that many women join the Peshmerga or other Kurdish forces for unglamorous reasons.<unk> Russell understands that many women join the Peshmerga or other Kurdish forces for unglamorous reasons.<unk> Russell understands that many women join the Peshmerga or other Kurdish forces for unglamorous reasons. ️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️ Social media. Follow @CNNPhotos on Twitter to join the conversation about photography. @CNNPhotos on Twitter to join the conversation about photography. "A lot of the women's backstories were quite difficult", he said. "A lot of the women's backstories were quite difficult", he said. "<unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk>
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