Paper short abstract:

What happens when women transgress the gender role assigned to her? During the last Peruvian conflict many women joined both armed groups (Shining Path and MRTA). Usually in these cases, the women receive a much more severe social punishment than their male counterparts, why?

Paper long abstract:

From 1980 to 2000, Peru experienced an internal war between the armed groups (Peruvian Communist Party-Shining Path, PCP-SL, and Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement, MRTA) and the Peruvian government. This conflict left nearly 70,000 casualties according Peruvian Commission of Truth and Reconciliation (CVR, 2003). Many women joined in these groups, especially in PCP-SL, and transgressing the gender role assigned to women, which shows women as peacemakers "by nature". An ideal reinforced by the Peruvian governments, media and academia.

This presentation emphasizes the social and political factors, which have influenced on the presence of women in wars. I analyze the meaning of the war for these women's lives. Particular attention is paid to the breakdown and reconstruction of the women's identity that were forced to perform. An evaluation of the women's experiences is also included.