PROTEST: Turkey’s laughing women now hurling shoes online

ISTANBUL

Photo: Twitter user @IIremaytas

A female opposition deputy’s fiery speech at Parliament has triggered a new social media protest in Turkey, with hundreds of women expressing anger at male dominance by sharing photos of their shoes and slippers.

“I swear to God, the devil in me tells me to take off my shoe and hurl it at you. But I look at my shoe and then I look at you and frankly, I say, it’s not worth it,” main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy Aylin Nazlıaka said at Parliament’s rostrum on Aug. 12, in response to verbal attacks from the male-dominated ranks of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

A Twitter campaign with the hasthag #geliyorterlik (“The slipper is coming”) was started on Aug. 13, triggering a flood of women sharing photos of their shoes and slippers in support of Nazlıaka.

"The slipper is coming” is a reference to the phrase used by many Turkish mothers to threaten their misbehaving children in a matronly way.


“This is a phrase that has been scaring me since I was a child,” wrote Twitter user @Trollololed.

Some who joined the campaign suggested that the heaviest shoes should be chosen to cause the greatest damage to male dominance in Turkey.
 
“This one is from a construction site. It has metal support inside," @isinturkeli tweeted, while @blenderella said "My slipper is coming and it can hurt like a police baton."



Along with a number of religious officials, Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç became one of the most popular targets of the slippers and shoes flying online. 

On July 28, Arınç had triggered the wildly popular #direnkahkaha laughter protest on social media, after suggesting that women should not laugh in public and should “know what is haram and not haram ... She should not be inviting in her attitudes and will protect her chasteness.” 

Several men also joined the latest protest. One of them, @uguryoldas, tweeted: “This is my mother’s guided slipper. It always targets the mouth. It is coming for those who insult women.”