Turkish Women Unite and Rise, Aroused by Indignation
Nor has Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan endeared himself to the female deputies representing the opposition Republican People's Party. Who have chosen to word their protest differently, in a full frontal championship of women's rights against the misogyny of an Islamist, with the statement that Mr. Erdogan "give up standing guard over women's vaginas.""Caesarian births and abortions have legal footing in Turkey. The prime minister's attempt to change the country's agenda by attacking women is a grave mistake."In such a party congress, the prime minister should have talked about women's problems including unemployment, domestic violence, of their inadequate standing in political life, instead of making politics over women's bodies." Canan Gullu, Turkish Federation of Women's Associations
Mr. Erdogan stated his opposition to women giving birth by Caesarian section, speaking before a population conference held in Ankara. He spoke also of his feelings that abortion represents a conspiracy to hamper his country's economic growth. Turkey's women rights advocates don't very much appreciate their president's equating abortion with murder.
"You either kill a baby in the mother's womb or you kill it after birth. There's no difference", he stated unequivocally, with all the weight of his Islamist credentials and his political office full-square in authority.
Speaking to the women's branches of his ruling Justice & Development Party he was pleased to clarify the issue further: "Every abortion is an Uludere", referring to an incident where 34 Turkish smugglers died in air strikes that his military mistook for Kurdish militants. In response, women protested with banners reading "Is the right to abortion the prime minister's business?"
The prime minister would far more prefer Turkish women to be biddable, respectful of the dictates of Islam, not continually hearking back to the days of Turkish secularism. Turkish women, according to his interpretation of what good Muslim women should be invested in, should have at least three children.
Women in Turkey appear to think otherwise. Figures latterly reveal abortions rising in the country, from roughly 60,000 in 2009 to an additional ten thousand (70,000) two years later. Caesarian births in the country now represent half of all deliveries.
Obviously women consider themselves in Turkey a force of nature to be reckoned with, not patronized or controlled, but respected for their choices. Prime Minister Erdogan appears unaware of the hornet's nest he has messed with.
Multiple stings can be deadly.
Labels: Human Relations, Islamism, Sexism, Traditions, Turkey, Values
posted by Pieface @ Wednesday, May 30, 2012
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