A Young Kyrgyz Woman Sang in a Bra. Now She Is Being Threatened with Violence.

Zere's First Song.

The music video of a young Kyrgyz woman, in which she appears in a blazer thrown over lace lingerie, has sparked discussions on social media about the right of Kyrgyz women to self-expression.

In the song "Kyz" (girl), 19-year-old Zere Asylbek sings about how no one should tell girls and women how to behave and what to wear. Alongside her in the video are girls in various outfits—from hijabs and traditional Kyrgyz dresses to swimsuits.

This is Zere's first song. The track was released two months ago, but it only began to be actively discussed with the release of the video. Those who support Zere are taking photos in their underwear, posting them on Facebook, and noting that "in a patriarchal society, one has to undress to assert their rights."

Others are threatening the singer with violence, claiming that a Kyrgyz girl should not look that way. She has posted screenshots of threats, including a promise to "cut off her head."

Zere has filed a complaint with law enforcement, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that they will do everything necessary to prevent attacks.

However, most discussions are not about the content of the song, but about Zere's figure. Among those commenting on her body was even the former Prime Minister of the country, Felix Kulov, who defended the girl but said that "if the girl's figure were ideal, the video would not have caused such a heated discussion."

Zere also runs a children's YouTube channel for learning English, acts in theater, and works as a DJ. According to her, she deliberately sings in Kyrgyz, as she primarily targets girls living in regions with strict patriarchal norms:

"Almost 90% of girls in Kyrgyzstan and around the world, including myself, face discrimination on the street, at work, or at home. I wanted to write this song on behalf of the girl—who I am. At first, I thought about reaching out to akyns (the poets-singers in Central Asia), but then I decided to write about my own experience, and that's how the song came together." Zere in an interview with Radio Liberty

She stated that she decided to provoke a discussion about women's rights in society.

"Such a strong reaction was expected; I understood that this is how I would manage to stir society with the video," Zere says.

Last year, a video featuring a 22-year-old Kyrgyz woman, Saikal Jumalieva, went viral on social media, where she appeared as a rural bride dancing with a broom to the 70s hit "Stayin' Alive." With this video, she aimed to draw attention to the issue of early marriages in Kyrgyzstan.

The law providing penalties for those facilitating marriage with a girl who has not reached adulthood, including parents or adult grooms, came into effect in Kyrgyzstan only two years ago.

I am only 21, but in our society, I am ALREADY 21. According to our people, I should have been married off a long time ago; otherwise, in two years, I will be an old maid. Saikal in an interview with the BBC

Saikal believes that girls should decide for themselves when they are ready for marriage. She continues to promote equal rights for women and recently appeared in a commercial promoting programming education for women.

According to UN estimates, one in four Kyrgyz women has experienced physical violence at least once, and one in five gets married through "ala kachuu"—abduction for the purpose of forced marriage.

Therefore, any attempt to break patriarchal stereotypes in Kyrgyzstan meets with condemnation. In July of last year, social media and media attention, including international, was drawn to a photo of the youngest daughter of the President of Kyrgyzstan in her underwear, breastfeeding a child. She was accused of immoral behavior and had to delete the photo.