“Society cannot be liberated without the liberation of women. Women, who are in the grip of reaction from education to working life, from public sphere to politics, are not only defending their rights; they are fighting for secularism and the Republic.”
Throughout history, Turkey has been shaped by social and political polarization. In recent years, however, the encirclement of the public sphere by reactionary ideologies has taken the form of a siege targeting women's freedoms in particular. Women's rights are not only an individual issue; they are also a barometer of the struggle for democracy and secularism.
The pressure of reaction on women manifests itself in symbolic and concrete areas: education, work life, visibility in public spaces and restrictions on the most basic rights. The struggle for secularism in Turkey is not limited to ensuring that the state is not a ground for religious imposition; it is also about guaranteeing equality in all areas of social life. In secular societies, women gain freedom and autonomy, whereas in societies under the influence of reactionary policies, women are once again confined to the home and invisibility.
Today, the attempt to remove women from decision-making mechanisms through public policies and interventions in the education system is not only a violation of individual rights; it is also an attack on the democratic future of society. Women's equality and freedom is not a privilege but a necessary condition for a secular state and a democratic society.
The fight against reaction is not only the work of politics, but also of social consciousness and cultural reflexes. Every attack targeting women's rights is an attack not only on individuals, but also on the Republic and secularism. Therefore, the struggle for women is also a struggle for secularism; society cannot be liberated without the liberation of women.
It should not be forgotten that reactionary ideologies often instrumentalize the public sphere and state mechanisms. Therefore, the struggle cannot be limited to being visible on the streets or in the media; it is imperative to guarantee secularism and women's rights in education, law, politics and culture. When women's voices are silenced, society is silenced.
In conclusion, women in the grip of reaction are resisting not only for their own freedom but also for a secular and democratic Turkey. The liberation of every woman is the victory of the social conscience and the democratic future. Secularism is the guarantee of women's freedom and defending this guarantee is not a choice but an obligation in today's Turkey.