Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç spoke on behalf of the government in yesterday’s parliamentary meeting and shouted “Shush lady, be silent as a woman,” to Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) deputy Nursel Aydoğan.
After HDP deputy Osman Baydemir, Bülent Arınç went up to the rostrum for a second time and criticized Baydemir: “If a female deputy and Co-Chair of HDP had spoken, they would have said ‘We lean on PKK and Democratic Union Party of Syria (PYD)' and if male Co-Chair had spoken he would have said ‘Take up arms and make this government pay the price’.
HDP Diyarbakır deputy Nursel Aydoğan reacted to Arınç.
Arınç answered “Shush lady, be silent as a woman.”
Female deputies of HDP and CHP respond to Arınç: He must apologize
After the statements of Arınç, female deputies of HDP and Republican People’s Party (CHP) made press statements separately and requested Arınç to apologize.
HDP Group Deputy Chairperson and İstanbul deputy Pervin Buldan said they entered parliament to talk not to be silent:
“I request from Arınç to be more careful against women and to think twice when he is speaking to them. This is how Justice and Development Party (AKP) treats women. We call for all male AKP deputies to be educated about women. We may educate Arınç if he asks.”
CHP Vice President and İzmir deputy Selin Sayek Böke “Arınç’s politic life is filled with hate speech and discrimination against women. As women, we will continue to laugh, produce, do politics and speak every day.”
What did Arınç say before about women?
In December 2012, CHP deputy Aylin Nazlıaka said “Prime Minister should give up being the warden of vaginas,” during the discussion of abortion.
Deputy PM Bülent Arınç reacted to Nazlıaka:
“Aylin Nazlıaka, you speak such things that I turn red from embarrassment. I am ashamed. I feel small on behalf of you. How can a married with children, female deputy speak about her sexual organ?”
Arınç was joked about on twitter and he became trend topic.
CHP deputy Nazlıaka made an allegation against Arınç.
In July 2014, Bülent Arınç said:
“Women should not laugh loudly in public,” and he was reacted universally on twitter. Women shared their photos in which they were laughing via their twitter accounts.
We Will Stop Femicide Platform made an allegation against Arınç with the participation of CHP deputies.
Again in July 2014, Bülent Arınç answered the reactions about his speech:
“My speech was perverted. If had said women shouldn’t laugh at, I would have talked nonsense. However, I was commenting on ethics during that time. For example, there are women who leave their husbands and go on holiday and others who are pole dancing… I just take a pity on them.”
CHP İstanbul deputy Selina Doğan proposed some changes should be made into house regulations of Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) and ‘rude and hurting’ and ‘sexist and racist’ expressions should be banned.
Erktolia Platform, an online platform against sexism, started a petition against Arınç and 34 thousand people signed it.
On the other hand, Bülent Arınç shared his thoughts via his twitter account:
“I said ‘Shush lady, be silent as a woman’ to a female deputy who interrupted my speech. It is a discipline of the parliament. HDP deputies show off and mislead people.” (ÇT/BD)
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