The opinions of religious feminists about gender in Türkiye

In this study, we tried to determine the views of religious feminists in Turkey on gender. In the study conducted in accordance with the phenomenology pattern, one of the qualitative research methods, a semi-structured interview form created in line with the literature and expert opinions was used as a data collection tool. The participants of the study are eight women activists and writers who define themselves as Religious/Muslim Feminists. The data obtained in the study was analyzed using the content analysis method. As a result of the study, important findings were obtained. According to the findings, the participants defined the concept of "feminism" with expressions such as "Struggle against injustice and inequality, movement for equality, rights and freedom, resisting the patriarchal system", and defined the concept of religious feminist as "both Muslim and feminist, shaping women's demands in accordance with Islam, from a feminist perspective." It is seen that they define it as "interpretation of the Holy Quran". In the study, it was seen that religious feminists argue that women are devalued due to the interpretation of the sources that form the basis of Islam from a patriarchal perspective, but that the true value of women in Islam can be understood if the Holy Quran and hadiths are reinterpreted from a woman's perspective. It was observed that most of the participants also defended gender equality, defended the rights of individuals with different sexual orientations such as LGBTI+ in the context of human rights and freedom struggle, and stated that living in accordance with sexual orientation is a personal choice and this should not be interfered with. It was also observed that they emphasized that LGBTI+ individuals should be seen as equal to other individuals in terms of rights and freedoms, and therefore they also have the right to establish a family and live their preferences freely. As a result of the study, it was observed that there were breaks from traditional Islam in the interpretation of some Islamic issues, and a marginal transformation in the view of some Islamic issues. Key Words: Feminism, Religous feminism, Gender.