I enjoy watching people and imagining their lives: where they come from, where they are headed, what hardships they have faced and what moments of joy they have known. One woman who often comes to mind is a Turkish woman I met named Hatica.
Her life is very different from mine. I work online and am connected to the internet and its demands, while she is a dedicated homemaker, mother and grandmother. She takes pride in her role and finds deep satisfaction in it.
When I asked to take her photograph she agreed readily, but she had one condition: that I send her a copy. During our conversation I learned she neither uses nor has access to a computer. I offered to post the picture and asked if she could write her address.
She handed the pen and paper to a friend, and I then realized that Hatica could not read or write.
It would be easy to assume I am in a more advantageous position. Literacy is something I take for granted; it supports my livelihood and allows me to learn about the wider world. Yet, when I think of Hatica I feel a small pang of envy. She has embraced what she sees as her most important commitment and clearly enjoys it. She has devoted much of her life to raising and shaping future generations in Turkey.
Personally, I tend to avoid long-term commitment. I take only the minimum responsibilities that life requires of me. The idea of motherhood fills me with unease, whereas Hatica appears to meet it with calm and confidence.
Diverse Roles of Turkish Women
This contrast highlights the cultural diversity and many faces of Turkey. The same week I met another Turkish woman who presented a very different image: perfectly manicured nails, the latest fashions and a fresh haircut. She had chosen not to have children and was focused on her career.
Foreign media sometimes depict Turkish women as uniformly repressed or confined to domestic roles, but there is no single stereotype. A woman’s path is shaped by her family, upbringing, education and where she lives. These factors influence the choices she makes and the life she leads.
Women from western parts of Turkey more often delay marriage and motherhood to pursue education or careers, yet across the country—and the world—many women manage to combine family life and professional ambitions. Their ability to balance these responsibilities is impressive and worthy of respect.
Further Reading about Turkish women
My Short-lived Membership of the Elite Turkish Housewives Club
No Men Allowed: Ladies Day at the Local Turkish Bath