Job Discussion Forums

Otterman Ollie · Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 9:12 am Post subject: The headscarf issue

This is the hottest topic at the moment if you read the Turkish english newspapers. People or more specfically turkish females are convinced that if the ban is lifted they will be FORCED through peer pressure to adopt this style of dress. Does that sound like a reasonable fear to you or just plain old paranoia?
It would appear that 70% of the women in this country wear the scarf,does that sound true. Do the female members of this forum married to a Turk feel they may be pressured to adopt this form of dress?

Listener · Joined: 17 Jun 2005 Posts: 140 Location: Istanbul

Yes

If you include "babushkas" yes

and yes!

007 · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 3:04 pm Post subject: Re: The headscarf issue

Listener · Joined: 17 Jun 2005 Posts: 140 Location: Istanbul

In Islam there may not be any pressure, but in Turkey there is. I see it. I feel it. It's usually subtle, but it's there.

mongrelcat · Joined: 12 Mar 2004 Posts: 232

Listener · Joined: 17 Jun 2005 Posts: 140 Location: Istanbul

I think my better half quoted me something like 60 per cent the other day from the Turkish papers. I just remember it was a lot more than half.

Otterman Ollie · Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 8:05 am Post subject:

I have read this number in both the English newspapers, but like you I'm a bit sceptical about that amount. Having said that it may be said that a lot of these ladies used to stay at home, they are a lot more visible these days. İt also looks (according to newspapers again) that the MHP and AK party have agreed on the wording to change the constituition and lift the ban. I wonder how members of this forum will feel about teaching these young and devout females when in the past they have not had access to higher education because of this piece of cloth.
Do you think it is a religious or political symbol? There seems to be some confusion on that one .

007 · Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 12:59 pm Post subject:

Otterman Ollie · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:47 am Post subject:

Errr, 007, do you actually live in Turkey?

windstar · Joined: 22 Dec 2007 Posts: 235

I have witnessed many teachers and students who have suffered from universities' policy. I am married to a Turk and she was forced to leave her job for not complying secular dress codes in the school settings. She chose her religion over her job and resigned. Yet, I have never heard or witnessed the case other way around. No girls without headscarf was barred from attending schools or deprived of her rights. This is pure elitist totalitarian oligrachic dogmatic misapprehension that girls with headscarf will impose their belief on the others.

Lewis Collins' tortoise · Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2008 2:28 pm Post subject:

Who cares what you wear?
My gran used to put a headscarf on whenever she went out. It was a fairly common practice for both women and men alike to cover their heads in public.
Men and women would wear a whole variety of headwear. As it wasn't seen as proper to be without something covering your head.
For whatever reason, I think people should be able to wear what they like. If someone wants to go to University wearing a Carmen Miranda style array of fruit on their head I have no objections.
What people say and do is a lot more important than what they wear.

nomad22 · Joined: 14 May 2007 Posts: 71 Location: Auckland, NZ

yes about 60% sounds right. though that figure would be far less in istanbul and ankara. in my time here the headscarf has def. gained in popularity. just the first step on the road to sharia, very sad for turkey as these changes gradually take effect.

Lewis Collins' tortoise · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 6:30 am Post subject:

I think the important issue about the headscarf is not to get tied up whether you think it is good or not for a woman to wear a headscarf but extend the argument to argue for freedom to wear what you want.
For example women should also be allowed to wear trousers at work if they wish. This has in quite a few workplaces..etc.. been forbidden.
School uniforms...etc... It's a question of freedom of expression. Similarly when Nil Demirkazik wore a badge with a Kurdish flag on it, she should not have been prosecuted.

tvik · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 371 Location: here

if women are allowed to wear headscarves then the economy will collapse and there will be a large earthquake causing only bars with cheep beer to burn and crumble.... following this there will be swarms of students who chose woodworking over university and turkey will become the largest exporter of hand crafted grandfather clocks causing the population to repeat "coco!!coku!! cooooocoooo!!!" as the attempt to find the right pitch.

Otterman Ollie · Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 8:54 am Post subject:

You're right Tvik. As a result of the new rise in islamic law and order all the bars and clubs will shut down and we will be reduced to making our own beer. And to show our solidarity with the scarfies we have to wear silly hats in our favourite football team colours. Mine's black and whıte.Whats yours?