In a decision announced by the Defense Ministry of Turkey on Wednesday, Turkey’s military will now allow female soldiers to wear Islamic head scarves.
According to Euronews, this decision “signifies a major shift in the armed forces, which have always seen themselves as the guardians of state secularism.” Islamic women in the Turkish military have President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to thank, whose party, the AK Party, has Islamist roots and has been campaigning for religion to take a more prominent place in public life in Turkey since 2002.
Ravza Kayaakci, a lawmaker for the AK Party, was thrilled with the decision. “I think it is a very important step in the path of democratization,” she told the New York Times.
This is a big move to try to change the intolerant secularism and sexism that exists in Turkey. Though the majority of the country is Muslim, state authority has subjugated and controlled religion in the past. “It’s a dream come true,” said Merve Kavakci, a political scientist and head of postcolonial studies at Uskudar University. “This is a clear victory for women empowerment.”
Along with allowing headscarves in the military, the AK Party has been an advocate of religious freedoms in many other spheres including civil service fields and universities, according to Reuters. Although this is a step forward, still there are restrictions. The headscarves must be worn under a hat or cap, should not cover the face and should be patternless and in harmony with the uniform’s color.
