Where does satire stop and reality begin?
Sometimes it is hard to tell. Turkish people are no doubt asking that question and pondering whether to laugh or cry over the latest pronouncement by deputy prime minister Bulent Arinc. He has castigated women for laughing in public, saying that a woman should be chaste. She should know the difference between public and private. She should not laugh in public".
It is a comment he may regret as it has set loose a social media storm with hundreds of Turkish woman firing off photos of themselves laughing. Although the photos are to demonstrate that to condemn laughter is preposterous, Arinc may be wondering if they are laughing at him for even suggesting such an outrageous attempt at limiting laughter. The whole affair is ridiculous in so many ways but does serve as a reminder of how the roles of women are still construed around the world. The laughter generated by this most recent comment from members of a government led by Prime Minister Erdogan, a man who has made it clear he does not believe in gender equality, disguises a deep anger at the limits of female participation in Turkey's economic, political and social structures.
An attempt to contain the joy of laughter is obviously ridiculous and impossible. Too smile and laugh is to be human. Along with hundreds of Turkish women, various high-profile men have also been voicing their reaction to this attempt to redefine laughter as somehow subversive. Some of the anger is focused on the way statements from politicians do little to value the roles of women, but also on the way it can perpetuate the acceptance of violence to women. A 2009 report noted that more than 40 per cent of Turkey's female population have suffered domestic violence and that at least 120 have been killed already this year, mostly by partners or other family members.
There is no doubt that politicians can influence public perceptions. While prejudice often remains discreet, if a nations leadership is loudly proclaiming a 'moral' position then there will be those who regard this as having permission to act on it. In Turkey this may take the form of men feeling they have a reinforced right to treat women as second class citizens. In Australia the vilification fired at Julia Gillard for being a female Prime Minister by the opposition opened the floodgates to a level of vitriol that had not been visible before.
