A view from the gender perspective on the problems of mothers with disabled children: The case of Konya

The concept of gender, unlike genetic characteristics, is the role, status, and responsibilities taught or imposed by society. The division of labor shaped according to gender differences has negative consequences for women. In the role of wife and mother, her primary responsibility is domestic work. The housewife's ideology adversely affects women's educational, social, and working life. The situation of working women is different. When the job potential of men and women is compared, it is seen that women are employed in lower jobs with lower status. The term disabled person refers to a person who is incapacitated in their physical or mental capacities at birth or later and who is unable to meet their normal personal and social needs in whole or in part. Also, Sociology of Disability is the branch of science that studies the integration of the excluded segment of society into social life. It aims to free disability from the concept of disability and to address the problems encountered in social life. In addition, the sociology of disability deals not only with the disabled individual but also with the family who is interested in him. Having an ongoing illness in the child or being diagnosed with a physical or mental disability is a traumatic event for families. This disability, which is difficult to accept, causes mothers who take care of their children one-on-one to face several problems. In addition to the exclusion of disabled people from society, it is observed that women with disabled children are also excluded from society. In this respect, gender-related discrimination is also included in the sociology of disability. The problems of women who are excluded due to having disabled children and who are discriminated against in the home in terms of labor are quite high and it is an issue that needs to be examined. This study aims to reveal the discrimination they suffer in terms of gender and labor while addressing the problems of mothers with disabled children. Thus, it is aimed to identify the problems of mothers of disabled children who are missing in the literature through gender discrimination and to offer solutions. The study was designed as qualitative research and a semi-structured interview form was used to collect data. As a sample, mothers of disabled children studying in special education and rehabilitation centers in Konya city center were selected. Participants were interviewed face to face, open-ended questions were asked, and answers were noted. The obtained data were analyzed by grouping the disabled child's care, working life, social life, social exclusion, the attitude of spouse and close environment, intra-family relations, the effect of the disabled child on the family economy, and domestic violence. In line with the analysis of the findings under these headings, it was concluded that the effect of gender inequality in women with disabled children was clearly revealed.