The Headscarf Ban in Turkey: Freedom, Identity, and the Symbolism of “Don’t Cry, Carnation”
The headscarf ban remains one of the most debated issues in Turkey’s recent history. Beyond a simple dress code restriction, it represented a broader conflict over identity, religious freedom, and the right to education. For many women, it was not merely about clothing but about dignity and personal conviction. In this article, we examine the social and emotional impact of the headscarf ban, and analyze how Eşref Ziya Terzi’s song “Don’t Cry, Carnation” became a cultural symbol of hope and resistance. The aim is not to romanticize the past, but to understand how collective memory shapes today’s perception of freedom. Looking back at the past, one of the most debated issues in Turkey’s recent history has been the headscarf ban. Our young women waiting at university gates, wanting to enter with their dreams, were turned away because of their headscarves. In government offices, in the military, in schools… In many places, women wearing headscarves were barred from entering. Sometimes they...