ISTANBUL - TJA organized workshops in three districts of Istanbul where the concept of ‘’family’’ was discussed and explained the necessity of a democratic family structure. Upon incoming requests, workshops are planned to be held in a mixed manner in the coming period.

 

Free Women’s Movement (TJA) activists met with women in Istanbul and held workshops where the concept of ‘’family’’ was discussed. The first of the workshops was held in Bağcılar, the second in Ataşehir, and the third in Sultangazi. TJA activists, who came together with many women, focused on the meaning and contradictions of the concept of ‘’family’’ according to the person. While the women spoke one by one in the workshops, they talked about the meaning of the family for them. In the workshops it was concluded that the family should be democratized. The workshops, which receive high demands, are planned to be realized in a mixed manner in the upcoming period.

 

‘We wanted to reveal the role of women in society’

 

TJA activist Gülsen Biter stated that they aimed to reveal the role of women in society with the workshops they held. Noting that they wanted to reveal that women are conscious of their own gender in the workshops, Gülsen said, ‘’Because the problem is democratization or not being democratized in the first place, we wanted to start this with women first. We wanted to highlight and clarify this awareness in women, and then integrate it into society. We wanted to start with the woman because we know that the liberation and democratization of the society will occur with the liberation, organization, awareness and democratization of women. We have taken a step towards these works with women and we will continue to do so’’.

 

‘There is a lot of demand’

 

Reminding that they have organized three workshops so far, Gülsen said that the reactions have been positive. Stating that the returns were also positive and the demands increased, Gülsen said, ‘’The fact that women’s self-consciousness is revealed, being listened to and being recognized was among our prominent issues here. Many of our women friends expressed this. We have seen that the demand for this has increased even more. We can see the need for this from all directions. We embrace these activities in order to eliminate this deficiency, to raise awareness of women, to organize and express themselves correctly. And we also have concentrations for that to follow’’.

 

‘Workshops are very productive’

 

Hülya Emsalsiz, one of the participants in the workshop held in Sultangazi, said that such trainings are very productive for women to get to know and understand each other. Stating that every woman faces different problems in her home, neighborhood and city, Hülya said, ‘’When we know the problems, we can have more ideas about how to intervene in these problems, how we can be united, how we can defend and touch each other’s lifes more. That’s why I defend that these trainings should be spread on the districts and neighborhoods’’.

 

‘Woman should liberate her family’

 

Stating that with the workshop, faced the reality that the definition of family is different for everyone, Hülya said, ‘’Some said happiness, some said peace, some said prison. I realized that the definition of family is very converse, but it’s place in which all of these live. I also think that the definition of family is not just a woman-man relationship. The family is a structure that covers the whole society. In this sense, I understood more clearly that while a woman liberates herself, she must first liberate her family’’.

 

‘Our problems are similar’

 

Aysel Budak, one of the participants, stated that they saw that the problems they experienced were similar to each other and said, ‘’When the problems are listened to, the woman who does not feel alone will feel more stronger. Together they will become stronger. Knowing the problems of women coming together makes them struggle. The workshop was very helpful. Family means equal sharing of duties for all individuals. But the woman is always seen as a serving person. The woman puts herself into this role. The moment she realizes that this shouldn’t happen, conflicts arise’’. Aysel pointed to the necessity of a democratic family with her words.