INTERVIEW WITH N(18)

What is your understanding of gender?

My understanding of gender is more like a spectrum rather than a binary system. Because i think not everything has to be either “masculine” or “feminine” a person can be both or a mixture of those features. So i think socially used term gender is more fluid and expandable.

What is your understanding of gender inequality?

Gender inequality means one group of people getting an unfair treatment just because of their gender instead of their qualities.

What is your personal opinion about gender non-binary?

I completely support non-binary people and their understanding of gender in society. I think we should be civilized enough to allow people to define and exprerience life as themselves. Since being a non binary person doesn’t cause anyone any harm (at least being nonbinary it self doesn’t, i can’t speak for the actions of non binary said person) we should not care about it so much.

What is your understanding of intersectionality?

I don’t know what intersectionality means so i don’t have opinion on that term.

Can you name any significant inequalities in your country?

I am living in Turkey which majority of the society are conservative muslims. So there are some significant differenceces in terms of genders and how they are treated in contrast to europian countries per say. 1 st inequality would be that women are seen less than men in Islam. However we are a secular country so islamic ideas (a man can marry 4 women, 2 womens allibe and testimony equals a mens testimony etc.) don’t rule here. But that doesn’t mean that society doesn’t have this way of thinking. For example more than 1000 women are killed by their husbands lovers or their families (family murders are usually called cleaning the integrity of the family (namus cinayeti in turkish)) and government does not protect these women

Because the husbands are seeing their wifes as their property and they should belong to them or the 6 feet under (this is a turkish saying, ya benimsin ya da kara topragin, i tried to translate it)

and i believe the government isn’t protecting these women (they often get restraining orders or tell the police about the danger but often it is overlooked) because of the cultural and religious dogma that women are less than men

2nd issue is also related to cultural dogma as well. It is essentially slut shaming. Women are often called out or harassed for thir clothing choices. For example i have worn a short first time since my childhood (7) this year. Because i was afraid that something could happen to me or people would see me as a slut