WEARING A HIJAB IN TURKEY

Wearing a headscarf or hijab in Turkey has always been a controversial topic. When Turkey’s founding father, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, brought in a series of reforms to “westernize” and “modernize” Turkey, one of the reforms introduced was a series of clothing regulations. These regulations were designed to keep religious symbolism out of civil service. Although a hijab was not banned, it was seriously frowned upon.

After the revolution in the 1980s, the hijab was officially banned from government offices, hospitals, universities, and schools. This meant that women working in these government departments were legally unable to wear a head covering, thereby limiting their ability to obtain employment in many places.

The ban on headscarves was quietly lifted in 2013. Since then, Turkish women have been free to wear a hijab to their place of work without fear of repercussions.

In our first podcast, we speak to Zainab, an Iraqi/American living in Mersin, Turkey. With her, we talk about why she wears a hijab and her experiences.