FEMA and Feminism in Gaile’s Back Page; A Content Analysis Study

ABSTRACT: This study analyses the media texts of Feminist Atelier (FEMA), a grassroots women’s organization, through the Gaile supplement of Yeniduzen newspaper from a feminist media studies and third wave feminist point of view. The research explores the potential of the active participation of a women’s group in the media can create an awareness concerning feminism in the public consciousness and can serve as a useful tool for social change. ‘Feminism’ and ‘Feminists’ have been portrayed and characterized generally in the form of stereotypes. Feminism is seen as a dangerous ideology and movement that disturbs the norms of society and feminists are regularly depicted as ugly, hairy-legged, man-hating, anti-marriage, militant women in the public eye via the masculine dominated media. FEMA has succeeded to generate a new image of feminism and feminists in Northern Cyprus with their activism and media texts. They open a back page in the media in Northern Cyprus by promoting the third wave of feminist media understanding and introduce new concepts, meanings and feminist values in their various media texts. FEMA participated in the policy-making processes of Northern Cyprus, by including its membersand their notions of equality. FEMA oriented their activism with third wave feminist equality notions that are asking for the basic human rights for women and also for all who are subordinated by patriarchy and other hegemonic power structures. This study explores feminism’s position in the world mainly by focusing on third wave feminism and its vision for Northern Cyprus through the media texts of FEMA. Content analysis and textual analysis have been used in this study including 65 different media texts from FEMA in 2011. I found that the content and language of FEMA media texts brings a new voice, new concepts and frames in the media. In this study, I argue that an effective feminist narrative in the media carries with it a strong possibility for social change in Northern Cyprus. Keywords: FEMA, Feminism in Northern Cyprus, the Media, Patriarchy, Gender Equality. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………