Kadınlar (Women)

The other day one of my friends from high school asked if I would wear a headscarf (khimar) when I went to Turkey. At this point in time I've determined that a headscarf is not nearly as appropriate as a haircut, but this question did remind me of the seeming obscurity of modern Turkey. Contemporary Turkey generally isn't a focus of world geography or social studies in high school, so I understand the unfamiliarity with its culture.

Back on topic. The truth is, Turkey is 95%+ Muslim but it is a secular country.

Atatürk banned the headscarf in public places, much like he banned the fez and introduced many other Western behaviors back in the late 1920s. I believe Stephen Kinzer's book, Crescent and Star discusses how it is illegal for civil servants to wear their headscarf and the problems that arise from that rule. But Atatürk didn't just ban religious attire. He gave women the right to vote, as well as equal rights in divorces and inheritance.

The United States is far from having a female President, but Turkey had a female head of state (Tansu Çiller) before the United States could even stomach the idea. They even had the world's first female Supreme Court Justice.

Back on topic (again). Generally, Turkish women living in the cities (İstanbul, Ankara, Izmir,...) can leave their home in the morning whenever they want, wearing whatever they want- just like the women in the West. I like to think of it this way: the cities in Turkey are Muslim like the United States is Christian ("Christian" can be replaced with most any other religion widely practiced in the U.S.A.). Most of us do our best to be good people and respect our religion's major holidays, but we may not go to church every/any Sunday or say grace at every/any meal. Of course, society in the Turkish countryside may vary drastically and there may be villages where it's appropriate to wear a headscarf, but I don't imagine I'll have the time to dig that deep.

Of course, this is all speculation until I actually get there. 3 more days.

Kar Türkiyede

NASA's Snow In Turkey

I thought this was a beautiful satellite image from NASA's visible Earth.

Emniyet (Safety)

• 08/06/2005 BBC: Turkey seizes five in 'bomb plot'
  
• 08/03/2005 CNN: Two Reported Dead in Turkey Blast *
  
• 07/16/2005 BBC: Turkish resort blast kills five
  
• 07/10/2005 BBC: More than 20 hurt in Turkey blast
  

So, no, Turkey is not the safest place in the world. Neither is London, Madrid, New York, Washington D.C., and just about any city in any country you could possibly wish to visit. I'd say (from a naïve outsider's point of view) that a majority of the Turkish attacks have one main motive: the move for an independent Kurdish state in Southeastern Turkey. So, Turks and foreigners (not just Americans!) alike fall victim to these violent attempts to persuade the Turkish government.

And then, there are more predictable threats such as the usual pick-pockets and scams aimed at foreigners. Purse-snatching is as common a hobby in Istanbul as it is in New York or London.

* I have found CNN to be severely lacking in global news, especially related to Turkey. So, I highly suggest BBC News instead.