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1971-8-71June.2.E-S -    Note: 138

Page: 15/17
Date: 20.06.71
Location: Elbasi
Note:

Village girls

Observation, and 3 conversations - one in caf, one with i(Faruk erbetci)'s family in the school, one with i(1541 Mustafa ener) i(1541Gezici).p1

(a) Women are still out of sight, still cover their mouths, still mostly look and act traditionally. BUT i(Hseyn oskun)'s 2 daughters - one ebbe, one living
in village, both much more open. Ebbe slim, attractive, bareheaded. More bare heads than formerly, and much more variety in dress and more signs of
ready-made clothes. Girls wear trousers and skirts.

I talked to some older women who said they did visit the cities. But there the conversation ended.

In the coffee house I tried to and succeeded in provoking an argument. One man - no difference, - boys still have to obey fathers, girls do what they are
told. Girls never get cash from their earnings.
Reply - no girl carpet weaver is without a wrist watch and fathers gives them new skirts when they ask. Wives and girls are rarely beaten now. General
agreement that there is a change, but little.

No girls go to orta okul.
Fathers cannot allow teenagers that degree of freedom.

i(1541 Gezici) long and pompous speech on religion.

Girls should not be uncovered - gnah {sin}
They ought to be educated - quoted Koran to say "educate your daughters before you educate sons". But he said NO co-education. Girls could not be trusted
with so much opportunity.

Hence village unwilling to allow daughters to continue beyond Primary.

He very firm that Islam was in favour of educated professional women, but they should not mix freely with males - men and women should work separately.

k<women, change, segregation, education>
NA

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