11/03/2024 | Writer: Kaos GL
On March 8th International Women's Day, women gathered in various cities across Turkey to raise their voices
On March 8th International Women's Day, women gathered in various cities across Turkey to raise their voices. Particularly in Ankara and Istanbul, large crowds assembled.
In Ankara, women and members of the LGBTI+ community gathered on Sakarya Street for the 18th Feminist Night March. The march was organized after the police removed the barricades on Sakarya Street. Following the march, Destina from the Red Umbrella Sexual Health and Human Rights Association read the press statement, which included the following remarks:
“For 22 years, we have been fighting alongside the women who have resisted patriarchal oppression for centuries. This year, we once again found strength in feminist solidarity to combat patriarchy and political oppression fueled by it. Sometimes, they try to intimidate us with words of love.
They fear feminism because our solidarity reminds them that we are not alone. Saying no to men empowers us to challenge this oppressive system. In Gaza, a blatant genocide is taking place before our eyes, and attempts are made to legitimize it via feminism in the Western world. Feminism doesn’t include genocide. Migrant women are more vulnerable than ever.”
According to the report by Tuğçe Yılmaz from Bianet, the march commenced in Sıraselviler, Taksim, and concluded on Cihangir Street. Women and members of the LGBTI+ community read the press statement in Turkish, Kurdish, and Arabic. The 22nd Feminist Night March in Istanbul highlighted several key issues, including the Istanbul Convention, Law No. 6284, the revolt of earthquake victims, oppression against LGBTI+ individuals, and messages of solidarity with Palestinian and Rojavan women. These topics underscore the diverse range of concerns addressed by the feminist movement during the march.
Within the scope of the press statement women and LGBTI+s underlined that despite facing increased political pressures and societal challenges, feminist solidarity empowers them to confront the patriarchal systems that seek to control their bodies, labor, and lives. They emphasized that women continue to bear the burden of rebuilding life, even amidst destruction and displacement in the face of natural disasters like the earthquakes on February 6th. They highlighted that despite enduring homelessness, poverty, and violence, women persist in caring for their families and communities, often without access to essential resources or rights and concluded as follows:
“We will never stop dreaming of a world without war, patriarchy, transphobia, homophobia, capitalist exploitation of labor, racism. For this: Our hope is feminist struggle! Our strength is feminist struggle! Our life is feminist struggle! Our salvation is feminist struggle!”
Tags: human rights, women
