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Turkey's official dictionary calls women on their periods 'dirty' | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The Turkish Language Institute (TDK) has been accused of sexism over its controversial definition of the word “dirty”. | The Turkish Language Institute (TDK) has been accused of sexism over its controversial definition of the word “dirty”. |
The institute explains the word, which translates as “kirli” in Turkish, by giving the example of "a woman who is menstruating". | The institute explains the word, which translates as “kirli” in Turkish, by giving the example of "a woman who is menstruating". |
The other two meanings of the word are given as “stains, filthy, unclean” and being “contrary to society’s values”. | The other two meanings of the word are given as “stains, filthy, unclean” and being “contrary to society’s values”. |
Author Elif Safak – the most widely read female writer in Turkey – brought attention to the definition in a post on her Twitter page, criticising the body’s decision to describe the word in a sexist way. | Author Elif Safak – the most widely read female writer in Turkey – brought attention to the definition in a post on her Twitter page, criticising the body’s decision to describe the word in a sexist way. |
The TDK has previously been condemned for using sexist definitions. The word “müsait”, which is a Turkish word of Arabic origin, means “available”. | The TDK has previously been condemned for using sexist definitions. The word “müsait”, which is a Turkish word of Arabic origin, means “available”. |
The second definition of the word in the official dictionary is described as a female who is “ready to flirt” and who can “flirt easily”. | The second definition of the word in the official dictionary is described as a female who is “ready to flirt” and who can “flirt easily”. |
Feminist group Istanbul Feminist Kolektif asked on its Facebook account: “Why is it ‘woman’ written in parenthesis? Can men not also be ‘available’?” | Feminist group Istanbul Feminist Kolektif asked on its Facebook account: “Why is it ‘woman’ written in parenthesis? Can men not also be ‘available’?” |
The Language Association’s President, Mustafa Kacalin, responded to critics by saying “available” was entered into the dictionary in 1983. | The Language Association’s President, Mustafa Kacalin, responded to critics by saying “available” was entered into the dictionary in 1983. |
An online petition called for the 'available' entry to be revised, saying the act of flirting was mutual and should not solely be attributed to women. | An online petition called for the 'available' entry to be revised, saying the act of flirting was mutual and should not solely be attributed to women. |
The body was also condemned for its entries on bad man and bad woman, with the latter described as a "prostitute". | The body was also condemned for its entries on bad man and bad woman, with the latter described as a "prostitute". |
The TDK formed in 1932 and is the authority on the Turkish language, publishing the country’s official dictionaries. | The TDK formed in 1932 and is the authority on the Turkish language, publishing the country’s official dictionaries. |
During the 1930s and '40s, the TDK campaigned to replace the Arabic, Persian, Greek and French words that were present in the Turkish language. | During the 1930s and '40s, the TDK campaigned to replace the Arabic, Persian, Greek and French words that were present in the Turkish language. |
The most recent edition of the official Turkish dictionary has more than 100,000 entries, with around 84 per cent being Turkish words. | The most recent edition of the official Turkish dictionary has more than 100,000 entries, with around 84 per cent being Turkish words. |
The online version and the physical dictionary of the language body’s definitions both use the same definition for dirty. | The online version and the physical dictionary of the language body’s definitions both use the same definition for dirty. |
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