Armenian Heritage and Memory Beyond the Borders Armenian Heritage and Memory Beyond the Borders | Página 3

an hopeful Armenia as a mother, correct and moral woman being for
the nation. Lerna Ekmekçioğlu describes this situation as conservative
progressive Armenian Feminism with the effect of the successive
mandatory Pro-Turkish advocacy after the republic was established in
Turkey and she states that these feminists couldn’t completely detach
themselves from the patriarchal framework. The national motivations
stimulated them. They tried to reform the system rather than to
transform it and idealization was more adopted in their feminist politics,
which prevented radical Armenian feminism in Turkey from appearing.
However, their contributions and efforts by writing, giving education,
running women’s organization mustn’t be forgotten and ignored.
As both Armenian and women, they tried to defy ascribed and
imposed status that the state and society determined on women.
And the genocide not only made them escape or killed them but also
annihilated them as if they didn’t live and carry out such significant
things.
While a lot of certain male figures are widely known and tried to be
known in Armenia, as far as i’ve observed, people don’t know Western
Armenian women who made feminist activism during Ottoman Period
and Republic of Turkey, which indicates the gendered collective
memory. Certain resources also state that they aren’t mentioned in the
anthologies and history textbooks. Keeping the question about whether
it is just coincidental, i would like to present the feminists and women’s
rights advocators that have been excavated and shed light on.
In order to build a bridge between Armenia and Turkey, i also would
like to present what Armenians who are living in Turkey have done so
far in related to the events regarding the confrontation with the past
intersecting gender.
My work on Western Armenian Feminists except for Zabel Yesayan
mostly depends upon the research and output of Lerna Ekmekçioğlu
and Melissa Bilal and English translations of Jennifer Manoukian but
while i talk about other issues about the connection between Armenian
and Turkey, i comfortably use my own style of narrative and language.
Umut Erdem
November, 2018.
This booklet has been prepared for Erasmus+ project under
Armenian Progressive Youth.
The contents by Umut Erdem
The design by Fulya Berrak