The significance of women Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's emotional and intellectual life

To analyze the place of women within the scope of Gazi Mustafa KemalAtatürk?s sense and thought world, it is essential to look into the women with whomhe shared his life with considering their accompanying lives, and the steps throughwhich they attain their deserved place within the modern Turkish society.It is crucial to examine all influencing women, from his mother Zübeyde Hanımto his wife Latife Hanım, from Madam Carinne, whose letters leads the revolutions, toprospective bride Fikriye who devoted her life to Mustafa Kemal, in order tounderstand the reflection of the impact of women in his sense world to his thoughtworld which shaped Mustafa Kemal?s mind.The country love of his mother Zübeyde Hanım changed his life from the dayhe was born. His mother was always his unconditional supporter. The fact that hissister was an uneducated woman, made him feel what he needs to raise Turkishwomen to the place which they deserve.The wife of the new Turkish Republic leader, Latife Hanım, was specificallychosen as a model for Turkish women. Not only her characteristics like country love,her ideas about modern women, her profile for ideal portrait of women, her dressingstyle, her brave and free character; but also her complying characteristics withMustafa Kemal, has big portion in his decision about Latife.They had been a model for society with their modern marriage. MadamCarinne, who corresponded with Atatürk by letter in French at the time of ÇanakkaleWar, witnessed the first phases of Atatürk?s Alphabet Revolution. It is clearly provedhow an intellectual woman can be source of a deep inspiration by affecting MustafaKemal.Fikriye Hanım, who devoted her life to Mustafa Kemal, was never seen as anideal Turkish woman by Atatürk. On the other hand, she was regarded like a greatopportunity for Atatürk to see the weaknesses of Turkish women.The relationships between him and his women helped Atatürk to observe thecauses of the problems of women and find the ways to solve the problems andrealize them with their support. He encouraged and supported his adopted childrenand even whole society to make women to have equal educational rights with men.He led new legal regulations to make women defend their rights without help of adeputy to have them a modern marriage and have equal status in family life.By this way, Atatürk wanted to payback Turkish women who carriedammunitions to battlefield, knitted clothes for the soldiers and held the economy withtheir hands. The great leader realized that he can not move the country ahead, whichwas already saved during Independence War with women?s sacrifice, without thefurther contribution of women. Unlike the leaders of many new founded countrieswould think, Mustafa Kemal, considered, protected and gave importance to this issuemuch earlier.Mustafa Kemal provided Turkish women to get their place in society by stayingnext to men, being a strong part of the family, an educated social mother, ahardworking person in every aspect of life and having obtained the economicfreedom.Atatürk gave importance to country love even in the days of war in which hisemotions are so dense. He never refrained from sacrificing the people close to himfor the future of country. Therefore, it is indisputable that his perception for idealwomen is certainly objective. He took different aspects of the women in his life, andhe worked for this new women identity for Turkish Republic during all his life. He hadbeen always a model with his wife, friends and adopted children.Although Mustafa Kemal struggled during his life to make his ideal Turkishwomen reach the level they deserve in modern society, he might have not seen hisperfect ideal to occur before his death. However, his ideal Turkish women have beenforming today?s Turkish Republic.