Obsidia: The world’s only mobile feminist nation
What constitutes a country? Well, the answers to that question are myriad and not very black-and-white. Generally speaking, a country is a sovereign nation that is recognised by the UN. By those broad definitions, there are 195 countries on Earth, but that list does not take into account nations which have not yet received widespread recognition or sovereignty.
On top of those countries that are not afforded official recognition, there are hundreds of ‘micronations’ all around the world. These are territories where a small group of people, in some cases individual persons, self-proclaim that a piece of land they occupy or own is a country in its own right. These micronations are not recognised by any sovereign nation or official organisation, but they exist in great numbers. A particularly notable example of a modern micronation is the “anti-state” of Obsidia, which exists as an enclave in Oakland, California.
Founded in 2015 by Grand Marshal Yagjian, Obsidia might just be the smallest of all the micronations. The land claimed to exist as Obsidia is actually just a chunk of obsidian rock – which Obsidia claims was “liberated from a former lover’s house” – which is just under 2kg in weight and usually kept in a padded briefcase. The only other territory that Obsidia lays claim to is a 29-foot sailboat and dinghy that also holds the title of Obsidia’s naval force.
Operating under an anti-capitalist, feminist, egalitarian power structure which champions LGBTQ+ rights, Obsidia aims to offer an alternative home for those who the wider United States has ostracised. “The objectives of the government of Obsidia,” its official website reads, “Are to institutionalise leadership for those traditionally excluded, increase visibility for femme/feminist/LGBTQ people and explore concepts for an ideal governance.”
Obsidia has its own leader, land, national anthem, flag, and even national holidays. Instead of celebrating July 4th like the rest of the United States, Grand Marshal Yagjian gathers other citizens of Obsidia to celebrate ‘Destroy Nationalism Day’, during which they burn their own flag. While there is certainly a degree of humour to the entire existence of Obsidia – a nation that is, essentially, a rock inside a briefcase – its aims and morals also offer an important comment on the state of affairs in the wider USA.
As we approach the 2024 US presidential election, the United States remains incredibly divided on many key issues. What’s more, recent years have seen the erosion of many rights and freedoms pertaining predominantly to women and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Issues like the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the openly homophobic and transphobic comments made by a deluge of American politicians have led many people in the US to feel rejected by their own nation.
So, in answer to that ostracisation, Grand Marshal Yagjian has created a micronation in which everybody is equal, and the government is constructed entirely from women and Queer people. At present, it is estimated that there are over 250 self-identifying citizens of this curious micronation, all of whom have searched for a sense of community and belonging that simply does not exist for them in most areas of the wider United States.
Admittedly, the vast majority of micronations are established either as a joke, curiosity, or, in some cases, an attempt at tax evasion. Certainly, when you see Grand Marshal Yagjian in the anime-esque electric blue uniform of Obsidia, it is difficult to truly take the nation seriously. Nonetheless, it is important to remember the noble aims of the state and the importance it holds in terms of providing a sense of community to a demographic that is becoming increasingly ostracised within the modern United States.
