Memories, stories and deliberation: Digital sisterhood on feminist websites in Turkey

Abstract

Based on content analysis and in-depth interviews with the editors of 5Harfliler, Catlak Zemin and Recel-blog, popular pro-feminist women’s websites in Turkey, this article shows that these websites constitute important projects in feminist memory work in two ways: (1) explicitly, by commemorating women in history, the gains of the women’s movement in Turkey, and by archiving misogynist policies and gender unequal legislation; (2) implicitly, in the essays written by anonymous women whose personal memories of feminist activism as well as oppression and patriarchy experienced in everyday life become sources for discussion of feminist identity and politics and contribute to women’s history writing from below. The websites also serve as a platform where feminist identity is negotiated and the past, present and future of feminist politics are discussed in a humorous, agonistic and affective style. The source of deliberation is often women’s everyday experiences and concerns rather than formal politics. Although keeping a distance from formal politics renders these websites open to criticisms of naiveté and apoliticism, they provide a creative platform for the constructive discussion of women’s shared everyday problems which are closely connected to a larger political context.

Contextualising Feminist Global Justice Activism: A Case Study of the Gezi Park Protests

“…A 2018 newspaper interview conducted with the women activists who participated in 'Gezi' shows that the protests gave hope, morale, and self-esteem to feminists (Avsar, 2018). Within this context, they use the memory of Gezi Park as a reference point to strengthen their autonomy and identity as a legitimate oppositional actor in their more recent political protests over the environment, transphobia, violence against women or labour issues (Goker, 2019). Most importantly, Turkish feminism has integrated claims about anti-globalisation to its own agenda.…”

‘My story is like a magic wand’: a qualitative study of personal storytelling and activism to stop violence against women in Turkey

“…Such acts of collective agency on the part of women’s groups and networks have historically played an important role in bringing attention to issues of VAW both domestically and internationally [ 34 ]. Moreover, as Zeynep Gulru Goker argues, storytelling itself can provide a form of collective action as personal stories of interpersonal violence increasingly become recognized as part of the public sphere [ 35 ].…”

“…Anonymous hashtags and social media campaigns may play an important role in helping women circumvent the social structures that often silence women in the face of interpersonal violence [ 39 ]. However, in cases where women are unwilling or unable to tell their stories of interpersonal violence to family, friends or the police because of the negative reactions they may receive from both formal and informal sources of support, the anonymous sharing of these personal stories can offer an alternative means of sharing personal experiences as well as a form of radical politics [ 35 ]. In this way, social media campaigns can provide a space for women to tell their personal stories as part of a broader social movement when those close to them are unable to hear their stories with compassion.…”

“Are You God? Damn Your Family!”: The Islam–Gender Nexus in Right-Wing Populism and the New Generation of Muslim Feminist Activism in Turkey

“…Within this frame, Havle responds to the inertia among the reformist Muslim women from the previous generation who fail to critically distance themselves from the authoritarian elements of political Islam. It takes inspiration from the burgeoning activism of the new generation of Muslim feminist women who are active in recently initiated platforms, such as Reçel Blog, "Muslims Initiative Against Violence Against Women", and "Women in Mosques" (Alyanak 2019;Goker 2019;Nas 2021). This new generation of Muslim feminist women born in the late 1980s and early 1990s creates a new space in the feminist movement by responding to contemporary feminist emergencies through Muslim feminist lenses and drawing on new collective action frames, goals, tactics, and organizational structure.…”