THIS is how you empower women

[Ramocles]

In 1935, the Republic of Turkey, founded by Kemal Ataturk, grants Turkish women the right to vote AND to be elected to political posts. A revolutionary and highly controversial reform for an Eastern country at that time.

Ataturk on the decision:

"This decision has given Turkish women a position in social and political life above and beyond what many nations grant. The Turkish woman in a chador, behind a veil, living in a cage is a thing of the past. The Turkish woman has already proven herself highly successful in every aspect of domestic and business life. Now, gaining experience in political life and municipal elections, she will attain the ultimate political right by being able elect to elect members of parliamant and be elected a member of parliament. This right, withheld from women by many civilized nations, is in the hands of the Turkish woman today and she will wield it with competence and authority."


April 18th 1935. Kemal Ataturk poses with women at the first International Women's Congress gathered in Istanbul. As in many photographs in which he appears with women, he gives explicit instructions that the women stand AT THE FRONT of the picture, NOT at the back behind the men.

Ataturk did this deliberately to get people used to the fact that in the new, modern Republic being built, Turkish women WILL NOT rank second to men.

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[Liberal_in_LA]

1. Nice pic. Kick

[givemebackmycountry]

2. The way it should be.

Any woman who votes Republican in this country, is obviously voting against their own best interests.

[ejpoeta]

4. there a lot of people who vote republican who vote against their own best interest.

[TellTheTruth82]

6. Just as a point of thought

Shouldn't one vote for the country's bests interests and not one's own? (I hope most of the interests coincide, but I am sure there are some that do not).

[ejpoeta]

7. i agree that people should vote for the country's best interest. unfortunately

there are people who only care about themselves as well as people whose ideas of what's best for the country differ from what benefits the country.

[aquart]

3. Clearly I need to read up on this guy.

[dogtag]

5. Atta Boy, Ataturk! n/t