AKP talks about women.

This is a brief and incomplete compilation of what AKP leaders said about women, gender equality and feminism. It is part of our monthly theme “Why revolt in Turkey?”. Note that this is clearly not a list of all sexist or patriarchal discourse in Turkey. We aimed at a less ambitious goal of restricting our attention to AKP politicians.

“There was someone, I don’t know if she was a girl or a woman.”
Tayyip Erdoğan / on Dilşat Aktaş. [‘girl’ in Turkish language implicitly refers to virginity]

“Violence against women is exaggerated.”
Tayyip Erdoğan / on the 1400% increase in women murders in the last 7 years.

“I don’t believe in gender equality anyway.”
Tayyip Erdoğan / in his meeting with women’s associations.

“Those who say ‘My body, my decision’ are all feminists.”
Tayyip Erdoğan / on abortion.

“I consider abortion as murder.”
Tayyip Erdoğdan / on abortion.

“Raped women shall have the baby anyway, the state will take care of if necessary.”
Recep Akdağ, Minister of Health, AKP / on abortion.

“The raper is more innocent that the victim who has an abortion.”
Ayhan Sefer Üstün, AKP deputy and Chairman of Human Right Commission in the Parliament / on abortion.

“Women who got raped should not have an abortion. In Bosnia, women were raped but they still gave birth.”
Ayhan Sefer Üstün, AKP deputy and Chairman of Human Right Commission in the Parliament / on abortion.

“A woman should be moral so that she is never obliged to have an abortion.”
I. Melih Gökçek, AKP Mayor of Ankara / on abortion.

“If the mother is raped, so what? Why should the child die? Let the mother die.”
I. Melih Gökçek, AKP Mayor of Ankara / on abortion.

“They should have taken care of their daughter.”
Celalettin Cerrah, High-Ranking Officer in the Police Department / on the murder of Münevver Karabulut (18 yrs old)

“Media exaggerates. Violence against women is just about selective perception.”
Fatma Şahin, AKP Minister of Family and Social Policies.

“Isn’t domestic work enough?”
Veysel Eroğlu, AKP Minister of Forestry and Water Affairs / to a woman who asked for a job.

“Unemployment is high because women seek for jobs.”
Mehmet Şimşek, AKP Minister of Finance

“When girls study, men are not able to find girls to marry.”
Erhan Ekmekçi, AKP, member of Kargı Municipal Assembly

“A non-covered woman is like a house without curtains. A house without curtains is either for sale or for rent.”
Süleyman Demirci, AKP Ünye Public Relations Director / on headscarf.

“My intention is to go all the way up to four. Polygamy is a way of divine service. I do not get permission from my other wives when I get a new wife, and I’m not supposed to.”
Ali Yüksel, advisor of Tayyip Erdoğan / on the questions relating his three wives.

“Having a second wife is part of our culture. People should form affinities by getting a second wife from the East. This would help to solve the Kurdish issue, and the state should encourage this practice.”
Halil Bakırcı, AKP Mayor of Rize / on solutions for the Kurdish issue.