Thoughts on International Women’s Day

Hale Tenger: Nedime Sara’ya Saygı (Zamanla Telakkiler Değişir) 1995

Thoughts on International Women’s Day from our former and current residents at Tarabya Cultural Academy

“It’s long due to dismantle the oppressive order of patriarchy and collectively re-orient towards a feminist worlding-with-others and living-together otherwise.”
Murat Adash

“Justice – and that is my understanding of feminism – includes: all people are equal, no matter what they believe in, who they love, what they look like, where they come from and what gender they are. Sounds simple, is exhausting, and keeps me busy every day.
People who stop feminism for fear of their own losses are not supporting a just society, but one that is exploitative.”
Esther Ernst

“On this day I do not wish for flowers, good wishes or warm thoughts.
The 8th of March is a feminist call to action, a day that should remind each and everyone of us to keep working on a radical and relentless revolution, until all of our marginalised siblings can live a free and self-determined life, no matter where on earth.”
Rebekka Endler

“To me, this day is a reminder of the injustice, violence, and pain that girls and women still experience in the world solely because of their gender. This day is for me a reminder of the power of courage, the power of ideas, the power of action.”
Ute Freund

“On this year’s International Women’s Day, I think of a Korean proverb:
“You don’t avoid shit, because you are afraid of it, but because it stinks”. True, but the shit called patriarchy is smelling so bad in every broken corner and it is time to flush it down once and for all.
Feminists united!”
Olivia Hyunsin Kim

“In my childhood there were no homosexual women*, my mother says. Homosexuals were something like ghosts. I like to imagine a ghost army then. The subversive potential of a body that no one reckons with.”
Svelana Kutschke

“I’m trying to name the thing I missed as a child: education for equality? Education for feminism? Education for women’s empowerment?
I don’t know but I didn’t get any. And so many like me have had to deal with that feeling of inferiority, that idea of having to stay in place and not react to abuse of various kinds.
The feeling was of being the victim of a spell, black magic, the walls are immense and invisible energy mirrors bounce you back as you walk on your way.
I began to understand what it really was that I was already an adult and I immediately started growing magical plants for myself and my other women companions. Late, but still good news.”
Elisabetta Lanfredini

“Until we overthrow the patriarchy, until we build a just world for all, until we get our rights and freedom, we will not shut up, we will not obey, and this year, as every year, we will continue to grow our feminist rebellion for our lives in the streets and squares on March 8. We are not leaving; we are here!”
Özlem Sarıyıldız

Until we overrule the patriarchy in solidarity our chant, demand and fight is for ‘Jin, Jiyan, Azadî! Woman, Life, Freedom! ’
Rûken Tekeş