The "Panel on Women Journalists in the 100th Year of the Republic" was held in cooperation with Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Communication Department of Journalism and the Human-Oriented Communication Application and Research Center (İLİMER). The panel, moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gül Esra Atalay, Head of the Journalism Department at Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Communication, hosted Beykoz Üniversitesi faculty member Prof. Dr. Birsen Talay Keşoğlu and Researcher-Author Serdar Soydan as guests.
Attention drawn to sexist approaches in the press sector…
The opening speech of the ‘Women Journalists in the 100th Year of the Republic’ Panel, held at the Güney Yerleşke Fuat Sezgin Conference Hall, was delivered by Prof. Dr. Süleyman İrvan, Dean of Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Communication. İrvan emphasized that women in the journalism sector, in particular, are exposed to discrimination, inequality, and all forms of violence.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gül Esra Atalay: “Compared to the past, we see more female managers in many areas of the press”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gül Esra Atalay, Head of the Journalism Department at Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Communication, underlined that women have fewer opportunities to reach managerial positions than men. Atalay said; “A woman and a man start working in the same position, both having the same qualifications but while the man continues to rise, an invisible glass ceiling prevents the woman's ascent, and women have far fewer opportunities to reach managerial positions compared to men. Not only this, but society's general perspective on women, stemming from being a woman, also makes women's work life difficult in this sector. This situation creates obstacles for a woman to reach a certain point as much as a man. Unfortunately, the news and journalism sector is still, in every respect; with its language, and its work habits, an extremely masculine field, and therefore, women in this masculine field undergo their struggle for existence through much tougher trials. While all this was happening, the place of women in the press sector has, of course, evolved over time. These developments occurred as a result of the women's movement and the struggles waged hand-in-hand by women journalists. Therefore, today, compared to the past, we see more female managers in many areas of the press.”
Prof. Dr. Birsen Talay Keşoğlu: “The atmosphere of freedom born with the Meşrutiyet (Constitutional Monarchy) was one of the events that started women's press and journalism life”
Beykoz Üniversitesi faculty member Prof. Dr. Birsen Talay Keşoğlu pointed out that the atmosphere of freedom that emerged with the modern state understanding developing with the Second Meşrutiyet (Second Constitutional Monarchy) was one of the events that initiated women's press and journalism life. Keşoğlu stated; “The modernization brought by Tanzimat made newspapers important and visible because society developed a need to receive or give information. This was followed by the Islahat Fermanı (Reform Edict), the First Meşrutiyet (First Constitutional Monarchy), and the Second Meşrutiyet. The modern state understanding that developed with the Second Meşrutiyet gave rise to equal citizenship rights. Along with this, the atmosphere of freedom that emerged was one of the events that initiated women's press and journalism life. Women learned to present their own problems, demands, and solutions and to cope with them. From Ottoman women's magazines, we understand that women, besides these, made demands to gain a different status in society.”
Researcher-Author Serdar Soydan: Suat Derviş, a woman who stands on her own feet”
Researcher-Author Serdar Soydan stated that he tracks the unknown works of many authors, those who remained in the shadows, forgotten or made to be forgotten, which he prepared for publication. Soydan said; “Through the archival research I conducted, I published many unknown works of Suat Derviş, who produced works as a journalist alongside her author identity. During her years in journalism, Suat Derviş suffered anti-feminist violence starting with her name, and she faced the struggle to assert herself through her womanhood, which began from the moment of her birth. Suat Derviş is one of the best examples of a woman who stands on her own feet, who never considered herself a victim, and who fights for this in a masculine sector trying to stay upright.”
The panel concluded with a group photo session after answering students' questions.