A defence democracy 鈥榠n鈥� the United States : gender and politics in the unincorporated territory of Guam

Abstract

In 2018, the island of Gu氓han (Guam), an unincorporated territory of the United States (US), elected the island鈥檚 first 鈥淢aga鈥檋氓ga鈥� or first woman Governor of Guam, Lourdes Leon Guerrero. Gu氓han became the first state or territory 鈥渋n鈥� the US to secure a legislative supermajority with all three branches of government headed by a woman. While political progress should be celebrated, local power is constrained by contemporary US colonial structures that enable expanding militarisation. This paper offers an island-centric and gendered analysis of the politics on Gu氓han, revealing contesting Indigenous and colonial control over i t氓no鈥� (the land) of a sacred site, Litekyan (Ritidian Point). Defence democracy is demonstrated as the US military flouts locally passed Legislative Resolutions to construct a US$78 million Multi-Purpose Machine Gun Range. This is possible due to 鈥渋mperial feminisms鈥� frameworks, which celebrates elite female leaders within colonial systems. In response, the Indigenous famal氓o鈥檃n Gu氓han (women of Guam) have organised through the community group, Prutehi Litekyan: Protect Ritidian.