"Women shouldn't laugh"

Shenshen

What a lovely statement from Turkey's deputy prime minister, Bülent Arinc

The deputy prime minister, Bülent Arinc, one of the co-founders of the ruling Islamic-rooted Justice and Development party (AKP), made the comment while lamenting the moral decline of modern society.

"A man should be moral but women should be moral as well, they should know what is decent and what is not decent," Arinc said in a speech on Monday, in the western Bursa region for the Bayram holiday that marks the end of Ramadan.

"She should not laugh loudly in front of all the world and should preserve her decency at all times," he added.

(...)

Arinc went on to denounce a moral degradation that left society awash with drugs and prostitution, and lashed out at popular Turkish soap operas for encouraging lax lifestyles, in comments quoted throughout the Turkish media and online.

He denounced the excessive use of cars, saying that if even the "river Nile was filled with petrol", there wouldn't be enough to go around. Arinc also slammed the excessive use of mobile phones in Turkish society, with women "spending hours on the phone to swap recipes".

Imitating a Turkish woman on her mobile, he said: "'Is there nothing else going on? What happened to Ayse's daughter? When's the wedding?' People should say these things face to face."(...)

Full Article

To be honest, I'm not sure if I should laugh or cry about this.
This isn't Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan, it's not one of the (unfortunately far too many) countries that pride themselves in degrading women.
This is the deputy prime minister of a secular country, a country that is applying for EU membership.

I have always been an advocate of their membership - not immediately, but once they have socially and economically reached a reasonable point. I'm seriously re-thinking my position on a country and society that can vote a person with such views into such a high office....

Pherekydes

Shenshen wrote: »

I'm seriously re-thinking my position on a country and society that can vote a person with such views into such a high office....

Um, we've had some complete and utter gobsh1tes in high office.

Barely There

Shenshen wrote: »

To be honest, I'm not sure if I should laugh or cry about this.

Well, if you're a woman, you probably shouldn't laugh.

snaphook

He isn't saying that laughing is banned.

I'm sure he means that excessive emotional displays are super cringey and a "Turkish" stiff upper lip is better for their society.

But he's putting it across in a moronic way.

intellectual dosser

"Islamic-rooted Justice and Development party" - the clue is here.

Of course they have views on suppressing women's rights and freedoms, it evident in all Islamic countries.

I was in Turkey a few weeks ago, I wouldn't be worried about them signing these things into law. On a related topic the women of Turkey are absolutely out of this world. More power to them!

snaphook

snaphook wrote: »

He isn't saying that laughing is banned.

No he's not. Men are good to go, but it's women singled out for the belly-laugh ban.

"She should not laugh loudly in front of all the world and should preserve her decency at all times," he added.

(...)
...women "spending hours on the phone to swap recipes".

I'm going to call a friend and swap a recipe while laughing hysterically, just to spite him.

solomafioso

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS37SNYjg8w

Awkward Badger

This is what he said isn't it ?

"She should not laugh loudly in front of all the world and should preserve her decency at all times," he added.

Not that women shouldn't laugh.

And I agree. I think people who roar with laughter and guffaw in public should shut the fcuk up and stop being loud mouth, attention demanding, annoying pricks.

eamonnq

Candie wrote: »

No he's not. Men are good to go, but it's women singled out for the belly-laugh ban.

Men are not allowed to belly-dance though :mad:

eamonnq

eamonnq wrote: »

Men are not allowed to belly-dance though :mad:

Thank god for that, for everyones sake.

mistress_gi

Well being a woman, as I read this on my phone, I started laughing out loud in my car, wearing a very skimpy bikini, in the middle of a crowd
ahahahah
On a serious note, prostitution is the oldest profession in the world for a reason, it s certainly not the flow of closeted lesbian that keep the business open! Also, I love it when when men that have far too much time on their hands start degrading women without looking at themselves in the mirror! Ridiculous to say the least!

Pherekydes

Awkward Badger wrote: »

And I agree. I think people who roar with laughter and guffaw in public should shut the fcuk up and stop being loud mouth, attention demanding, annoying pricks.

He didn't say people, though. He said women.

Awkward Badger

Awkward Badger wrote: »

This is what he said isn't it ?



Not that women shouldn't laugh.

And I agree. I think people who roar with laughter and guffaw in public should shut the fcuk up and stop being loud mouth, attention demanding, annoying pricks.

As long as men are included in that prohibition, I'm all for it.

Awkward Badger

Pherekydes wrote: »

He didn't say people, though. He said women.

Women are people. So he's right.

Mr. CooL ICE

I laughed.

I didn't find it particularly funny though. I just laughed because I'm not a woman, nor am I in Turkey.

Iwasfrozen

Awkward Badger wrote: »

This is what he said isn't it ?



Not that women shouldn't laugh.

And I agree. I think people who roar with laughter and guffaw in public should shut the fcuk up and stop being loud mouth, attention demanding, annoying pricks.

Agreed, and in fairness men are in my experience more often guilty of this than women.

Awkward Badger

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

Agreed, and in fairness men are in my experience more often guilty of this than women.

Probably true but while men are more regular offenders women are more likely to have a really annoying laugh and thus a cause a higher degree of annoyance.

But as far as I'm concerned every man, woman, child and fcuking dog should be muzzled if they can't stop making noise in public.

Iwasfrozen

Awkward Badger wrote: »

Probably true but while men are more regular offenders women are more likely to have a really annoying laugh and thus a cause a higher degree of annoyance.

But as far as I'm concerned every man, woman, child and fcuking dog should be muzzled if they can't stop making noise in public.

Will you marry me?

Pherekydes

Awkward Badger wrote: »

Women are people. So he's right.

Haven't you noticed: men are people, too.

failinis

Apparently Turkish women are posting laughing selfies on twitter

I think any gender making a lot of noise in public can be annoying - but its laughing, a happy thing.

Lyaiera

Pherekydes wrote: »

Haven't you noticed: men are people, too.

Dogs are people too.

Awkward Badger

Awkward Badger wrote: »

Women are people. So he's right.

Jesus, that's disappointing.

Calina

Awkward Badger wrote: »

Women are people. So he's right.

Men are people too, but not generally included in the cohort known as "women".

We need an inclusive world. Turkish politicians, when telling women not to laugh should tell men not to laugh either, otherwise they are guilty of misandry and discriminating against men.

Awkward Badger

Pherekydes wrote: »

Haven't you noticed: men are people, too.

I had noticed that yes. But he's right in what he says even if he's wrong in thinking its only women who need to cop on to themselves.

Iwasfrozen

Calina wrote: »

We need an inclusive world. Turkish politicians, when telling women not to laugh should tell men not to laugh either, otherwise they are guilty of misandry and discriminating against men.

If all the loudmouths regardless of gender, race, age, nationality or any other division would just shut the **** up the world would be a far better place.

Awkward Badger

Hang on here now a minute

I'm not agreeing with his hypocritical, sexist pigshít here.

I'm just saying people including women being obnoxious and noisy in public bothers me. So he's not wrong in that sense. Just wrong on his whole "Women know your place" outlook.

I should have just kept my mouth shut shouldn't I ?

Nino Brown

Shenshen wrote: »

I have always been an advocate of their membership - not immediately, but once they have socially and economically reached a reasonable point. I'm seriously re-thinking my position on a country and society that can vote a person with such views into such a high office....

It's a Muslim country, those are not uncommon Muslim beliefs, it's hardly surprising, and right or wrong he probably has support for that statement in his country.

We can't go preaching to the world about democracy and then complain when their democratically elected leaders say things we don't like. That is democracy at work, like when Uguanda had the anti gay laws, the government and people supported it, yet we still told them they are wrong. Obviously we know whats best for those countries, because we're so enlightened in the West.

As for Turkey joining the EU that would be a nightmare. We have a common defense pact, so somebody draws a cartoon and we could have WW3 on our hands.

Donkey Oaty

Nino Brown wrote: »

and right or wrong he probably has support for that statement in his country.

No he doesn't, if the Turkish social media response is anything to go by. There are a couple of supporters, but his stance is being widely ridiculed.

Pherekydes

Nino Brown wrote: »

It's a Muslim country...

Turkey is a secular republic.

SEPT 23 1989

The ones who rant on about "moral corruption" are usually the biggest deviants of them all

Lapin

I hope these dimwitted narrow minded closeted Turkish polititians keep coming out with rubbish like this.

Anything which set their chances of joining the EU back by a few years every time one of them opens their trap can only be a good thing.

Nino Brown

Donkey Oaty wrote: »

No he doesn't, if the Turkish social media response is anything to go by. There are a couple of supporters, but his stance is being widely ridiculed.

Have a read of this, he's been saying these things for a long long time now, and where is he? Running the country!
Social media responses are generally an awful representation of how the general public feel about anything.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/turkish-prime-minister-erdogan-targets-women-s-rights-a-839568.html

Wishiwasa Littlebitaller

Thank God for that.

I'm a stand up and when I recently performed there, noticed women weren't belly laughing.

I had thought I was shit or something. This explains it.

Course, doesn't explain why the men weren't laughing either though. Out of politeness cause the women couldn't I expect.

Donkey Oaty

Nino Brown wrote: »

Have a read of this

Yes, I'm aware of his stances on women's rights, but you'll see that the article you link to says that "women in Turkey are enraged by his latest comments on abortion" - so while he has some backing, my point is that it's by no means widespread support.

Edit: NB - that article is about the PM, not the deputy - who is given to emotional displays in public himself, hence the ridicule for the laughter comments.

The Singing Beard

I have always been an advocate of their membership - not immediately, but once they have socially and economically reached a reasonable point. I'm seriously re-thinking my position on a country and society that can vote a person with such views into such a high office....

Ehh I think you need a politics lesson.

Firstly why should everyone in Turkey suffer without membership just because of him.

They hardly knew his views on laughing women before he got into office.

And the pm and deputy pm are not elected. The president is elected and he or she nominates the pm and deputy pm.

Remember voting for the president??? Did you vote the Taoiseach and Tánaiste into office??? Didn't junk so. The Tánaiste and Taoiseach are our equivalents of pm and deputy pm.

Idiotic post.

Bog Standard User

islamic rule is feck all about religion and more about power and control of the masses by a few corrupt individuals

Shenshen

Nino Brown wrote: »

It's a Muslim country, those are not uncommon Muslim beliefs, it's hardly surprising, and right or wrong he probably has support for that statement in his country.

We can't go preaching to the world about democracy and then complain when their democratically elected leaders say things we don't like. That is democracy at work, like when Uguanda had the anti gay laws, the government and people supported it, yet we still told them they are wrong. Obviously we know whats best for those countries, because we're so enlightened in the West.

As for Turkey joining the EU that would be a nightmare. We have a common defense pact, so somebody draws a cartoon and we could have WW3 on our hands.

Well, that's only half the picture, isn't it?
Democracy without guaranteed human rights for all is nothing but mob rule, after all.

dub_skav

To be fair, it's not only the Turks who think that way

Actually, are we sure he's a politician? Could he be a 1950s British "comedian"?

Wibbs

Nino Brown wrote: »

It's a Muslim country, those are not uncommon Muslim beliefs, it's hardly surprising, and right or wrong he probably has support for that statement in his country.

Doesn't make it any more daft though.

We can't go preaching to the world about democracy and then complain when their democratically elected leaders say things we don't like. That is democracy at work, like when Uguanda had the anti gay laws, the government and people supported it, yet we still told them they are wrong. Obviously we know whats best for those countries, because we're so enlightened in the West.

Actually "we" are. I know this can upset the hippies and moral equivalence types out there, but the fact is some cultures are quite simply better overall than others and yes the west is more enlightened, more liberal, more objective and more accepting of difference for the most part. Significantly so compared to some.

Aglomerado

What a load of (Istan)bullshít...

dub_skav

Aglomerado wrote: »

What a load of (Istan)bullshít...

Fair play to you, doing your part to keep the women out of trouble

Aglomerado

dub_skav wrote: »

Fair play to you, doing your part to keep the women out of trouble

I am a wimminz! :D:D:D (And I'm laughing!)

Philo Beddoe

Nino Brown wrote: »

We can't go preaching to the world about democracy and then complain when their democratically elected leaders say things we don't like. That is democracy at work, like when Uguanda had the anti gay laws, the government and people supported it, yet we still told them they are wrong. Obviously we know whats best for those countries, because we're so enlightened in the West.

This is similar to the argument people often make that having their statements criticized is an attack on their free speech. We ABSOLUTELY can complain about democratically elected leaders saying things we don't like.

The One Doctor

...and this is why Turkey will never be allowed into the EU.

darkpagandeath

Prob already said but "Fraped on Facebook" We have some characters too.

Donkey Oaty

The One Doctor wrote: »

...and this is why Turkey will never be allowed into the EU.

This is true. From the European Commission website:

The EU operates comprehensive approval procedures that ensure new members are admitted only when they can demonstrate they will be able to play their part fully as members, namely by:

• complying with all the EU's standards and rules
• having the consent of the EU institutions and EU member states
• having the consent of their citizens – as expressed through approval in their national parliament or by referendum
• allowing their wimminz to laugh

mad muffin

Awkward Badger wrote: »

This is what he said isn't it ?



Not that women shouldn't laugh.

And I agree. I think people who roar with laughter and guffaw in public should shut the fcuk up and stop being loud mouth, attention demanding, annoying pricks.

Ooh.

Who stole your sunshine?

mad muffin

Candie wrote: »

No he's not. Men are good to go, but it's women singled out for the belly-laugh ban.




I'm going to call a friend and swap a recipe while laughing hysterically, just to spite him.

Sure why not. The man goes around like some kind of Viagra monster but it's the women who are on the receiving end of honour killings. :mad:

eamonnq

I have no problem with women laughing out loud in public, it's worse when they laugh out loud 'in private'.

Shakespeare's Sister

Arinc also slammed the excessive use of mobile phones in Turkish society, with women "spending hours on the phone to swap recipes"

:pac:

sleepytrees

Mwahahahahah

Just did