The Role of Women in Turkey

The role of women has changed drastically over the centuries. As the level of education increases the idea that women are important only for serving men’s needs and for childbearing is diminishing. 

Topkapı Palace with its sultan’s harem is now just a tourist site. As you walk down the street you can see a mix of women, from those in headscarves projecting an image of subservience to men, to miniskirted office employees relaxing in a sushi bar after work. Women drive privately owned cars but we have yet to see a woman driving taxi, truck, or bus! They run companies. They are top models, TV presenters, and politicians. In the 1990s Turkey had female prime minister.

The civil code enacted in 1926 abolished polygamy and introduced a minimum age for marriage. It also gave equality of inheritance and made a woman’s testimony as valid as a man’s in court of law. Atatürk gave women the right to vote in 1930—earlier than in many European countries.

Promotion is often readily available on merit for women working in industry and offices. The glass ceiling so often complained of elsewhere in Europe is less in evidence in the modern Turkish company. Educated middle- and upper-class women fill many important roles in professional fields such as finance, law, and medicine.

Some Turkish women define their roles in domestic terms, as a good mother and wife. In towns, villages, or lower-class areas, many women would describe their main role as that of tension manager in the home. The mother is the person, to whom all have access, acting as mediator between father and children and generally attempting to ease the strains created by social change.

The importance of a woman maintaining her honor is crucial. It is believed that proper behavior between men and women depends most of all on the woman. Chastity is taken very seriously. In some respects, the standard for men is not same for women. Improper behavior can result in family ostracism or even more serious action, such as a decision by the family elders to appoint a male relative as summary executioner.

Although things are gradually changing, particularly for educated women, some traditional rules still apply: for example, if a woman has to live alone for any period of time, a female relative will join her or she will be invited to a relative’s home. A woman living on her own is unusual.

In general, when in public, a woman’s movements should be reserved and careful, and in social settings she should be restrained and avoid friendly smiles, eye contact, and casual friendliness in mixed company. In a work context this may vary, depending on the situation and status of the people involved.

Secularism and Social Groups in Turkey

Although Atatürk, in complete break with the past, established a secular government, Islam continues to have a pivotal role in the life and character of the nation.

Turkish society can be broadly divided into four subgroups: Atatürk supporters (secularists), Leftists, Islamic fundamentalists, and modern Islamists.

Atatürk supporters uphold links with the West and look for modernization at every opportunity. They are educated, middle-class, progressive citizens who are Muslim. They oppose Islamic law and believe it is backward and dangerous. They revere Atatürk, and often can be hard to mourn that there is no one like him today. They are fiercely loyal to the values of democracy, liberalization, and modernization stressed by him.

Atatürk supporters wear lapel pins bearing his image, visit the Anıtkabir (his mausoleum in Ankara), quote his speeches, and display his picture. His picture hangs in most buildings. Many important public places such as dams, airports, and roadways are named after him. Evidence of Kemal Atatürk is everywhere, and first time visitors to Turkey may mistakenly equate this with the leadership cult of former communist countries. However, veneration of Atatürk, while encouraged by the school system, is not imposed by the government.

The second subgroup is known as Muslim Socialist. The followers are Turks of leftist persuasion who are anti-Western and not devout Muslims. The two leftist Muslim groups are the Revolutionary Muslims and Anti-Capitalist Muslim.

The third subgroup is the Islamic fundamentalists. They are fiercely opposed to the followers of Atatürk. They wish to see the nation return to Islamic values and believe the five pillars of Islam and Islamic law should be diligently practiced. They reject the notion of a secular state and would support, to varying degrees, integration of state and religion, even to the extent of the imposition of Sharia law. They promote activities disliked by the secularists such as the wearing of headscarves and the teaching of Arabic and the Koran to children.

The fourth subgroup is modern Islamists. This recently formed grouping consists of well –educated, middle-class individuals who are Islamic rather than secular. The women wear headscarves. Modern Islamists oppose alcohol, clubs, and provocative dress such as miniskirts and low-cut party dresses. In a social setting they tend to separate men and women. Their use of language is influenced by Islamic terminology and Ottoman Turkish, Arabic, and Persian loan words. They attempting to lessen the separation of state and religion, still seeks closer links with the West.

Using Public Buses for Travelling in Turkey

Before flights became cheaper, the road network was the means of intercity travel in Turkey.

Expressways are limited; many are just divided highways. After planes, buses are the next best way to travel around the country if you have time. It is to the traveler’s advantage that there is competition between private companies. You can book a ticket or just turn up at an out-of-town bus station and hop on. Go to the office of the bus company—if you don’t know which to choose, you will be sure to be accosted by men trying to get you to use their company!

Travel between Istanbul and Ankara can takes as little as four hours. Many buses travel at night (for example, twenty hours for Istanbul to Trabzon, nine hours for Istanbul to Izmir). Some companies have a better safety record than others: Kamil Koç, Ulusoy, and Varan are regarded as the best. They target the more wealthy traveler; on some routes, on board toilets and meals are provided. On other routes there will be regular stops at service stations or bus stations. Buses are nonsmoking.

What to know about Safety in Turkey?

I know many of you concern about recent terrorist attacks in Turkey which target civilians. Only one of them targeted tourists was organized by ISIS. It was very unfortunate but aimed to harm Turkey's tourism industry. Although SouthEast Turkey, Istanbul and Ankara are main targets, the other parts of the country remain safe for tourists. It is wise to obtain up-to-date information from your government before travel. Long-term residents should register with their embassy if they live in Ankara, or consulate if they live in other large cities. The consulates provide regular updates on such matters.

What is the safety level in smaller cities? Is it safe to travel Turkey?

Travelers who dress and behave respectably are as safe in Turkey as anywhere in the world. Violent crime is not usually random; most violent crimes are crimes of passion, or retribution for a serious affront. Football games can generate violence.

Foreign women who have moved to Istanbul from large cities in the USA or Europe often say they feel safer walking in the street in the evenings in Istanbul than back home. If you are a woman traveling alone or two women late at night it is best not to attract attention to yourself. It is usually assumed that you are trying to invite male company. If you are careful you will be fine. In seaside resorts or tourist areas some Turkish men make a living by picking up Western women and showing them the town, at the women’s expense.

Western women, particularly Americans, are often misunderstood because of their openness. Honest curiosity or light conversation may be interpreted as flirtation. Turkish men generally are not used to much interaction with women they don’t know. Although mixed group activities are common at school and work, it is improper for a Turkish man to show too much interest in a woman without getting to know her through his family or social circle first. He might thing that a foreign woman is open to his advances. If you feel uncomfortable, tell another Turk in the group that he is too friendly for your liking. They will know how to deal with it and will be pleased to help.

Turkish men have a justified reputation for being Casanovas, and if you go out alone with a Turk he is likely to assume that you will be open to his amorous approaches.

Shoplifting and pickpocketing increased during the economic slump, especially in the tourist and market areas. Be careful if people try to distract you or follow you—they may be petty thieves after your wallet or cash. Sometimes a person may approach you to change money on the street. Decline—it is often counterfeit.

If you would like to travel Turkey safely you are recommended to arrange your trip with a licensed travel agent so check TSC Travel www.turkeytourspecialist.com for escorted Turkey tour programs.

Climate in Turkey and when is to best time to go Turkey?

Turkey’s latitude would lead one to expect a broadly temperate or Mediterranean climate. Owing to its topography, however, the country’s climate varies according to region. 

Turks claim that all for seasons can be experienced in any one day, albeit in different parts of the country.

The Black Sea coast has predominantly mild summer and winter. It is the area with the heaviest rainfall (pack an umbrella for a trip to Black Sea !) and is famous for its tea plantations.

The Mediterranean and Aegean coasts have a typical Mediterranean climate, with long, hot, dry summers and mild winters.

The Marmara coast is a climatic transitional zone between the first two. It is hot, but does not have dry summers. The winters are cool, with occasional frosts and outbreaks of snow.

Central Anatolia (if you take trip to Cappadocia , Konya and Ankara) has a markedly continental climate, with hot summers around 86⁰F(30⁰C), and bitterly cold, snowy winters, sometimes down to -22⁰F (-30⁰C). There are large temperature swings between day and night and even in summer the nights can be surprisingly cold.

Story of Evil Eye

The ‘evil eye’ is one of the main aspects of Turcic Shamanism since thousands of years.

The blue color stands for the blue skies, which was the goodfather, "Gök Tengri’ of ancient Turcic Shamanistic belief.

For the ancient Turcic tribes of Central Asia, the light blus color of the skies symbolized ‘life and navy blue, that is the night color, of the heavens, stood for ‘death’ that the two form of the same entity which were thw naturalistic view of the same perpetually changing reality.

The eye, symbolizing the element which has the capacity of sight, might has been interpreted as the human faculty which gives rise to the Enug and hatred of the onlooker who lacks the belongings and for the state of the observed entity. The eye symbol which is hung on objects and places since thousands of years, is thus, an atavistic symbol, believed to avet the envious evil eye of the spectator.

Extraordinary Places to see in Istanbul

• Visit Archeological Museum Of Istanbul and its garden. Heavenly to keep a cup of Turkish tea or coffee in the midst of ancient civilizations.

• Stop by Aslan Restaurant. Delicious, impeccable, Turkish kitchen to have lunch.Situated by the entrance to the ‘Grand Bazaar’. Not to be missed!

• See Zincirli Han : An old inn, situated in the Grand Bazaar, with an old building and a patio, small shops with traditional artists, silversmiths, carpet repairs, and etc.

• Visit Istanbul Modern museum and its cafe. Gazing and dreaming about the past overlooking to the St. Sophia and Topkapı palace.

• Discover Rustem Pasha Mosque and its environs. Definitely a must. It is the busy, traditional and one of its kind spot that has the ‘real’ Istanbul energy.

• A tour of Bosphorus with a zig-zag ferry. Few stops at some spots. Takes 3-4 hours. Scenery from past with awesome private homes-‘yalı’s, situated right by the water, with gardens and imperial feelings.

• See Chora museum. Mosaics, mosaics, mosaics. Byzantion. Art. Architecture. Esotherics. Tasting and rejoicing ‘Ottoman kitchen’ at ‘Asitane’ restaurant situated adjacent to the museum.

• Besiktas food market and a small ferry (like Venice vaporettos) ride between Besiktas and Uskudar, two old districs facing each other, and a sea ride from Europe to Asia, with the ‘Maiden tower’ in the middle of Bosphorus.

• Stroll in Sedar-ı Ekrem’ street, with its small boutiques, hotels and cafes. An intimate symbol of ‘neighborhood’ feeling. A parallel street to ‘Istiklal’ street of ‘the glorious times’ also called ‘Pera’ with remarkable consulate buildings, shops, bookstores.