The headscarf in a world of advantages

In the television programs I attended last week to discuss the results and underlying reasons of the research on "religion, secularism, and the headscarf" published in Milliyet, the extent to which the AKP being in power was influential in the claimed increase in the number of women wearing headscarves or turbans was frequently brought up. Clearly, it is thought that the fact that the wives of many AKP deputies and bureaucrats, as well as the President and the Prime Minister, wear headscarves increases the desirability of the headscarf.

If an increase in the number of women wearing headscarves or turbans during this period indeed corresponds to reality, attributing its causes primarily to the AKP government can easily serve as the first explanation that comes to mind. It is indeed a simple sociological rule that the lifestyles of those in power act as a factor increasing emulation for a certain segment of society; however, on the one hand, one must not forget that it was the rise of a certain lifestyle in the first place that gave birth to this government. On the other hand, it is very clear that those who attribute this to the AKP government preferring individuals whose wives wear headscarves in recruitment, at best, understand nothing of what is happening.

Specifically, contrary to popular belief, the working style of the AKP bureaucracy works not in favor of, but against wearing a headscarf. Under the pressure of the suspicion cast upon them, even if they were to make an appointment, the direction of preference leans toward not appointing someone whose wife wears a headscarf. I know very well that the criterion of having a "wife with a headscarf" works against headscarved women in many appointments to positions and personnel recruitments.

Outside the government's sphere of influence—for example, in appointments made by the 10th President Sezer to universities or judicial institutions—we know that this criterion was already applied with an almost obsessive rigor. For instance, we know that there is currently not a single rector whose wife wears a headscarf, nor a single person appointed by preference of the President whose wife wears a headscarf. Since the rate of women covering their heads in Turkey reaches 70 percent in sociological research, this is actually the best illustration of the fact that all remaining appointments were made from among the 30 percent, applying meticulous discrimination against the 70 percent.

However, in appointments under the government's initiative, there are not only those whose wives wear headscarves, but actually far more who do not. In many cases, it is indeed a typical routine of this period's bureaucracy that those who are far more qualified for a certain position are not preferred simply because their wives wear headscarves, just to avoid trouble. Conversely, those who are perhaps less qualified for such positions can be brought to those posts due to their marital status.

A few days ago, news was published that a primary school student receiving an award on stage wearing a turban at TÜBİTAK's National Science Olympiads award ceremony angered the Minister of National Education, Hüseyin Çelik. It was even reported that Minister Çelik expressed anger to TÜBİTAK President Prof. Nüket Yetiş, asking, "Why did you allow this when you know these incidents draw reaction? Are you doing this deliberately?" The Minister later stated that this news was unfounded. If true, it is of course another problem; but since Çelik denied it, one must focus on how it was possible to publish such detailed unfounded news.

This news was framed based on the assumption on the government side of how heavy a burden the headscarf is to carry.

The new YÖK president is definitely a figure who meets the ideal criteria for his post academically and scientifically. So far, there has been no criticism directed at him other than being preferred by the President. As soon as he took office, he did not hesitate to define his vision as lifting all bans that restrict freedoms in universities. He is a person with a very impressive academic CV, but when he was appointed, the first thing the media looked at was not Prof. Yusuf Ziya Özcan's brilliant academic and scientific background, but the status of his wife. The fact that his wife does not wear a headscarf caused great disappointment for those who wanted to attack the government.

This means that wearing a headscarf creates no advantage for appointment or promotion either in bureaucracy or academia; on the contrary, it creates a complete disadvantage.

And this disadvantage continues to operate as a full source of advantage for many people who are unqualified for their duties.