User:Selen Kuspinar/sandbox/Ottoman Women's Movement

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The history of the women’s movement in Turkey goes back to the Ottoman period and in the early 20th century some fundamental rights had already been achieved through the demands of female activists, such as the abolition of polygamy and repudiation. Since then, the feminist struggle for equality has gradually advanced, mainly thanks to the reforms of the most discriminatory laws. Nevertheless, there is a long road ahead to reach a change in mentality and values in society. Today, the main objective is to increase the visibility of women, mostly in public areas and, specifically, in political representation.

Women’s movement is lasting for centuries as a freedom and equality struggle. Although the history of quest of the right is based on the old ages, it must be agreed that the French Revolution accelerated and built the ideological bases of the women’s movement. After this date, women of western world had started to fight to become free from the roles which gender imposed. This struggle to get the rights on the social, political and judicial field is the base of the women movement. The movement spread to Ottoman Empire in a very short time because the inequalities that women faced and the struggle of being considered only as mother of someone or a wife of a man are common problems for women all around the world.

Women has more rights in the Islamic-Ottoman law comparing with the medieval Europe. However, in the 18th century, ideas that emerged with the French Revolution and social transformations in consequence of industrial revolution were reflected to the Ottoman Empire as well. Modernization period that started with III. Selim and II. Mahmut continued with the Tanzimat and Islahat Era, and it was accelerated in the Meşrutiyet period.

The basis of the Ottoman women’s movement are composed by the restrictions in education, right to labor, participation in the social life, and family law. Struggle to get the political rights came after these problems. Acquisition of these political rights, women magazines and associations were the most important instruments of the Ottoman women’s movement. It was tried to create a consciousness through the articles in the magazines. Also, the established women associations struggled for participation of women in work and education life. Among these instruments, “Kadınlar Dünyası Dergisi” magazine and “Osmanlı Müdâfaa-i Hukuk-ı Nisvan Cemiyeti” association were the most effective ones and they succeed to get several acquisitions.

Feminist Movements in Turkey

The founding of the Turkish Republic in 1923 and the state’s quest for modernisation was undoubtedly beneficial for the women of Turkey.  Diner and Tokaş report that following Kemalist reforms and the adoption of the Swiss civil code, “Turkish women were granted the formal equality with men in divorce, inheritance and custody over children” (2010, p44). However, as the State saw itself as the protector of the fostering Republic, when Nezihe Muhittin, a female rights activist, established a party that concentrated only on women’s right to vote in the late 1920s, it was shut down. Presumably, the Kemalist elite thought it was too soon for the new states to cope with multi-party politics. Upon the rejection however, Muhittin was encouraged to establish the Turkish Women’s Union (Türk Kadınlar Birliği, TKB) and within the framework of this organisation the first wave of feminism in Turkey gained pace. In the 1930s the TKB achieved success and women were granted the right to vote first in the 1930 municipal elections and then in the 1934 general election. However, upon their success, the TKB was seen by the state as no longer necessary and in 1935 the Union was closed down (Diner and Tokaş, 2010). This brought about an end to the first wave of feminism in Turkey, Although the first wave of feminism took place decades later than the first wave of feminism in the West, it took place with remarkable speed following the founding of the Republic and demonstrated the Kemalist elite’s dedication to modernise and follow in the footsteps of the West.

Post Tanzimat Ottoman Women Movements

It is absurd to think that the developments in the legal status of women that emerged in the West would not affect the role of women in the Ottoman Empire. With the developments in the political, legal, educational and economic fields that emerged in the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century, Ottoman society started to change and this transformation also affected women.

Women's role in society after Tanzimat

Changes occuring in the social structures also affect the position of women in society directly and indirectly. Change and transformation process which occur in the West towards the end of the Middle Age, generate the touchstone of the change of the role of women in society. Well-rounded change and transformation process that experienced in West, naturally has a property that also affect other societies which share the same time period therewith.

The modernization process, which began with Selim III and Mahmoud II, continued with the publication of the Tanzimat and Islahat Edicts and became evident during the period of “2. Mesrutiyet”. This affected the position of the Ottoman woman. Especially during the period of “Mesrutiyet”, women began to demand for changes in their social and legal status parallel to these transformations. Women have established numerous associations, organized conferences and published magazines for their demands to be accepted.

A new era began with the declaration of Tanzimat in the Ottoman Empire. There are no special regulations on women in the Tanzimat Edict. However, the innovations and developments brought by the period indirectly affected the Ottoman woman. Women have started to be more visible in social life and questioned their own positions.

Women's Legal Demands

Right for education

The most emphasized issue for women was the right to education. They expressed their demands on issues such as improving the education program in the schools opened and not providing the same education for women and men. The most challenging issue in the field of education has been the right to higher education.

While women demanded their education rights, they suggested being educated would make them "better wife" "better mother". They used these justifications for their demands to be understood by men.

Claims Regarding Family Law

The demands of women regarding family law focused on the age of marriage, the arrangement of marriage, polygamy, divorce and relationships within the family.

Right to Work

Women have realized that the most important issue in order to be free from dependence on men and to obtain their freedom is to make their own livelihood. The biggest reason for the despair of women is the lack of economic independence. Studies of established associations and published magazines focused on making women professional. In the past, associations opened various workplaces in business lines considered specific to women and gave vocational courses to women. However, it did not take long for them to bring their demands to work in scientific fields accepted as belonging to men. As the education level of women increased, they raised their voices to work together in areas suitable for their abilities. Ottoman women first worked as teachers, school principals and later as civil servants.

External links

• Sirman, N. (1989). Feminism in Turkey: A Short History. New Perspectives on Turkey, 3, 1-34. doi:10.15184/S0896634600000704
• OS, N. (2005). Ottoman Muslim and Turkish women in an international context. European Review, 13(3), 459-479. doi:10.1017/S1062798705000578
• Safarian, A. (2007). On the History of Turkish Feminism. Iran & the Caucasus, 11(1), 141-151. Retrieved December 29, 2020, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/25597322