We’dlike to go back to the very moment you first took to the streets. What did you feel in that moment, with all those eyes on you? What thoughts crossed your mind? Also, what motivated you before you began the protest where you expressed your resistance in the public sphere? I started my protests in 2023. I’ve been holding demonstrations in the streets and public spaces for three years now. People’s reactions are usually one of shock at first, quickly turning into judgmental stares. In that moment, I always think, “Yes, I’m doing something powerful right now; I’m trying to express an idea, and I’m doing it by marching against the majority.” I feel I need to stand up straight, and in that moment, I truly feel “brave.” Before I started taking action in public spaces, there was an incident when I was 15—I was sexually harassed by a teacher. He used the excuse that my skirt was “too short” and forced me to lift my skirt in front of a group of male students. I specify “a bunch of male” students because he deliberately pulled me into their midst and demanded I lift my skirt there. That moment was the first time I confronted the thought, “Yes, I am a woman, and that is exactly why they want me to feel ashamed of my body.” Later, as I saw women in my own country restricting their clothing even when going out “so as not to be harassed,” I thought, yes, someone in this country must take such an action. That’s why I started protesting in a bikini, and doing so holds political significance for me. You’re shoving what bothers society right into their faces to convey an idea—and you’re doing it with a banner. “I am here,” you say …
Asosyoloji Dergi
