For Turkish women, hijabs are strictly personal

Benjamin Peim – Kuwait Times – Thursday, 23 December (originally published 21 Dec)

In October, Turkish President Abdullah Gul’s Republic Day reception was boycotted by the army and opposition politicians because the first lady wore a headscarf to the event. Indeed, Ms Gul’s headscarf nearly cost her husband his bid for the presidency three years ago. At Yildiz Technological University last October student groups fought with each other and police over a banner decrying the wearing of headscarves in universities. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan campaigned in 2007 elections with a promise of lifting the longstanding ban on headscarves in public institutions.

In Turkey, a woman’s headscarf is a lot more than an expression of personal religious practice. It’s the principal battleground between the country’s secular elite and the ruling Islamist party backed by a traditionalist Muslim population. The government has traditionally banned women wearing headscarves from working in the public sector, attending universities or appearing in court.

But, ask ordinary Turkish women what they think about the headscarf issue. . .

. . . read complete article . . .
____________________________________