Why Does the Tigress Roar? Exploring the Role of Female Suicide Bombers in the LTTE

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were the first terrorist group to
employ women as suicide bombers. Making women’s bodies into weapons that the
women themselves deployed was an important choice for the success of LTTE
assassinations and reveals the complex and often contradictory gender dynamics within
the Tamil Tigers. In Sri Lanka, women have a subservient position in both Tamil and
Sinhalese society. The LTTE claimed gender neutrality and women did rise to leadership
positions within its ranks, although this ideal was compromised by traditional cultural
norms.

by Lindsey Mills

Read: Why Does the Tigress Roar? Exploring the Role of Female Suicide Bombers in the LTTE