Protests Against Erdogan's Remarks on Women Continue

On November 25, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that women are not equal to men, saying, "Men and women are not equal. Such a thing is against nature. They are created differently. Their nature is different. Can you place a woman breastfeeding a child on the same level as a man who cannot do this?" Despite more than 15 days passing since these remarks were made, protests from feminist and equality activists continue in Turkey. "Delara Gelsu," a feminist activist from Turkey currently in Paris, is a guest on this week's program "Another Voice." In the program, she discusses the implications of Erdogan's statements. She emphasizes that his use of the term "nature"—which in Islamic terms refers to the disposition created by the creator—is significant. Many feminists, including herself, reacted to these remarks from the beginning because he used rigid and Islamic expressions to categorize women rather than scientific definitions. Feminists believe that the era of such statements is over and this is not the first time he has made such remarks. He has been legitimizing the inequality of women and men for the past ten years. When it comes to women, Erdogan only speaks about their right to wear the hijab and their role as the sacred "mother." He has advised Turkish women to have at least three children. In his speech, he redefined feminism and portrayed it as a movement against motherhood. Erdogan believes that the best place for women is at home, with their primary duty being to take care of men. He supports the idea of making women passive. Turkish feminists protest against this gender role assigned to women, which sees their responsibilities as being confined to the home and raising children, rather than against motherhood itself. In response to Erdogan's statements on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, 57 women's and LGBTQ+ associations published a joint statement in newspapers titled "This is not nature, this is the constitution." The statement declared, "Women and men have equal rights." Erdogan's remarks have created a dispute over the articles of the Turkish Republic's constitution. Article 10 states, "Women and men have equal rights, and the state is responsible for establishing and ensuring this equality." The statement issued by women and LGBTQ+ activists emphasized that Erdogan's words contradict the constitution. Erdogan's statements also go against Turkey's international commitments such as CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) and the Istanbul Convention (an agreement with the Council of Europe to combat violence against women and prevent domestic violence). The women's statement asserted that gender equality, based on signed agreements, is not negotiable but a universal right. They argue that Erdogan's speech is a way to divert Turkish women from their rights, rights that they had gained nearly 100 years ago. Alongside this statement, an organized protest titled "We Will Stop the Platform of Femicide" was held in front of the Ministry of Family and Social Policies. It is noteworthy that there is no Ministry of Women in Turkey. Delara Gelsu predicts that these remarks will create more legal barriers for women in Turkey. She states that women's associations and organizations have begun an incredible struggle against the mindset of the Justice and Development Party government. Erdogan and other Turkish politicians know well that their words matter to a large segment of the population. Turkish society has a culture of tolerance. Part of the Turkish population seeks an opportunity to conform to the government's mindset as the main decision-maker. When Erdogan presents women as fragile and weak beings, men who agree with him and abuse their wives are encouraged. He claimed that "women cannot be employed in every job like men." Such statements encourage employers to tell female applicants, "I cannot hire you because you are a woman." Recently, the director of an Islamic NGO stated that "when women are employed, they prepare themselves for prostitution." Erdogan's words have emboldened conservative and misogynistic individuals in society, and unfortunately, their voices have become louder! According to the Global Gender Gap Index in 2014, Turkey ranked 125 out of 142 countries. Official reports indicate that in 2014, 235 women were killed by men, 88 were raped, and 499 women experienced physical abuse, with 75 women reporting sexual harassment. These official statistics only reflect those women who have reported violence and had their complaints registered. The actual numbers are likely much higher, considering the women who fear or feel ashamed to report violence. When we talk about a country with such horrifying statistics, the President of this country declares at a women's conference that "women and men are not equal." This is like a big joke! While he should be addressing femicide, rape, and harassment, he shirks this responsibility and instead takes on a larger responsibility of officially supporting inequality.