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Editorial Dear delegates Just when you think the session you’ve been looking forward to for a long time has finally started, you’re already halfway. Time flies, good times fly faster than the speed of light. Combine good times with a group of fantastic people, a lack of sleep, fruitfull debates and a lot of crazy funny games, and we have what is called an EYP-bubble. Just like one of those great dreams you have that give you such a good feeling you feel happy the whole day, this bubble is an enchanting and intense experience with a long-lasting positive effect on your mood. But beware, this bubble might be over in a blink. So make the most of every second, engage as much as you can in every debate, have at least one talk with every other person in the session, express your opinions and try to understand other people’s opinion as much as possible and set aside your fears and prejudices, and you might have a sense of an EYP-bubble that is as enchanting as is it contageous. But for now, enjoy your last day of committeework and tomorrows’General Assembly to the fullest! Have a great time! — Louise
Editor Harm van Leeuwen (NL) Video editor Louise van Benschop (NL) Journalists Clémence Rérolle (FR) Ege Yücel (TR) Eirini Daliani (GR) Genco Çakır (TR) Gülşah Özdemir (TR) Konstantinos Andronikidis (GR) Levent Aslan (TR) Martha Saunders (UK) Nina Selmer (NO) Yaprak Yıldırım (TR)
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Contents CULT get a sex change
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The seed thief
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Gender equality in Europe: finding common ground
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A journey to the worst nightmare
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Funny‌ but sexist
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Your mouth, the gateway
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CULT get a sex change
HOW different would your life actually be if you had been born the opposite gender? I asked each of the delegates of the Committee on Culture and Education for one thing they think would change.
by Martha Saunders (UK)
If I were a boy…
“I would be able to date with every girl I liked”
“I would be able to live my life without committing”
“I wouldn’t feel able to do a PhD or continue studying the subject I am interested in because I would be responsible for getting a job immediately after school to look after my family”
“I could go everywhere, anytime, and wear what I wanted to wear”
“I would have spent less time in my teens worrying about seeming a nerd, and less time now about seeming stupid”
“I would be able to travel with more ease”
“If I were born as a boy I would definitely join my national army and defend my country and not fear death”
“I wouldn’t be embarrassed about having sexual desires”
“My parents would let me out until the sun comes up and never need to call me”
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If I were a girl… “I could not go out at nights in winter because strangers would try and score with me”
“I would be a feminist”
“I think the biggest thing that would change for me would be the fear of being sexually harassed, because I’m a male, and I see how terrifying it is for a female to be sexually harassed. I know it’s a serious problem in Turkey nowadays”
“I would have to spend most of my time caring about my hair”
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hen I first tried this task, I left the paper on a table for the delegates to write on during a coffee break and asked for their full name to be added to each quote. I returned to a list of half hearted, jokey responses – “I would have a penis” – not quite what I’d intended for the article. But when I gave them individual pieces of paper and the ability to give them anonymously, the messages I was handed changed from nervous wisecracks to heartfelt, sensitive and at times quite heartbreaking insights. At first, I was annoyed at myself for wasting time by doing the task wrong first time, but retrospectively the way the committee needed anonymity to be able to really express their feelings about their gender roles tells us almost as much as the quotes themselves. We can see from the delegates’ responses that gender inequality is something that really impacts our daily lives. This is especially the case for women, with all the girls except one
writing a sentence beginning “I would be able to” and seeing their hypothetical sex change as an opportunity to be able to do something new or lead an easier life. It was also interesting to note that the boys who used the public list to make jokes about girls came out with some very perceptive and sympathetic observations in private, seeing their sex change as something which would restrict them. We cannot address issues when social taboos keep us silent about them. To resolve something, dialogue is necessary. As sad as the messages I received from the Committee on Culture and Education made me feel today, it’s even more painful that we all feel the need to suffer alone. •
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The seed thief DO YOU think Eve was the first woman on earth? Not exactly. According to ancient Jewish legends, God created Lilith way before he created Eve from Adam’s rib. by Yaprak Yıldırım (TR)
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ilith was created at the same time and from the same earth as Adam. Claiming equal rights with him, she refused male supremacy. As God and Adam were against the idea of such equality, Lilith had to leave heaven and started to live with demons. She gave birth to the demons’ countless children and refused to go back to Adam’s side. Then, God threatened Lilith of killing her children unless she agreed to be servant to Adam. When her children were killed one after the other, Lilith was furious by agony. Because of the anger she felt, Lilith was blamed for doing many vile things in various cultures. In Babylonia, she was thought to be the malevolent goddess Lamashtu who threatened women during childbirth and kidnapped children while they were breastfeeding. In Eastern cultures, Lilith was considered to be the black soul causing sleep paralysis to pregnant women and new mothers. Even the male erections during sleep were associated with Lilith, because she was described as an extremely attractive and irressistable young woman who was sneaking into men’s dreams, which caused Lilith to be called a seed thief. On top of everything, Lilith was accused of whispering dangerous thoughts to women’s ears, advising them to claim equal rights with men, thus triggering the women rights movement. At the beginning of the nineteenth century Lilith started becoming a loved motif in art and literature instead of the religiously condemned witch figure she once was. As she was getting sympathised by more and more people each day, Lilith ended up representing gen-
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der equality. Different opinions on the topic arise when it comes to the fairness of Lilith’s case. Pırıl (SEDE) believes that Lilith had every right to stand up against Adam, saying that “They were created equally. None of them had the right to oppress the other. What Adam did is unacceptable in that sense.” On the contrary, Mert (SEDE) takes a different point of view. He argues that by rebelling against God, Lilith was unbelievably disrespectful to her creator. “Besides, she is messing up with the order of heaven. If you are meant to be somewhere, you cannot escape from that place under any condition. Lilith should have been more respectful to the divine order.” says he. As one of the most criticized females of history, Lilith is still suffering from accusations coming from all around the world. Even though she couldn’t win her fight for her children, the seed thief appears to have won another one: the women rights movement. •
Pırıl (SEDE) believes that Lilith had every right to stand up against Adam.
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Gender equality in Europe: finding common ground TODAY, the world as a whole tries to improve the situation of women; the UN does it, the EU does it and individual countries do it. However, the progress has not been parallel for all countries. Even within certain regions, such as Europe, one can see significant differences in how gender equality is practised in society. Using the differences as an advantage; can Europeans move forward together to promote equality and change? by Nina Selmer (NO)
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iscussing the issue with some of the delegates at this session, it can seem like the difference of values in European countries might be a reason for this difference in the pace of progress. Zeynep Enderer (ITRE) raised the issue of how the laws might not be implemented in Turkish society because the society’s values tend to be conservative. However, she also mentioned how no country is perfect, since they all have the potential to become even better. Furthermore, Murat Erdem (AFET) pointed out that looking at the Turkish society, as an example, one has to change the norms in order to change whether gender equality is achieved in society or not. Furthermore, he mentioned how education can be a means in order to promote equality. Arda Genç (ECON) raised the point of differences within countries as well, using the east-
ern and western parts of Turkey, and the differences between them, as an example. So, are the internal differences in Europe really that big? And if so, is there a way to make Europe move forward as a whole? Europe has always been diverse on several aspects, and gender equality is certainly one of them. On one extreme, you have countries such as the Scandinavian ones, where gender equality is thoroughly implemented. Here, paternity leave is sometimes even mandatory and marriage equality was implemented years ago. However, there are several countries in Europe where this is not the case. In Turkey, only 14.3 percent of the members of parliament are women, compared to an astonishing 45 percent in Sweden. With three times as many percentage of women, this illustrates how being on the same continent does not mean having equal situations. Looking at the European Union as a whole, there is a 16 percent pay gap between men and women overall. Examining the numbers more closely, one finds that there is a difference of 25 percent between different countries within the union. In Slovenia, the pay gap is an amazing 2 percent, whereas in Estonia this number is 25 percent. With such substantial differences, can Europe come together and help each other combat inequality, with differences this big? An example of this is what we are doing right now. By discussing, exchanging experiences and being inspired by our fellow Europeans, all countries can find ways in which they can make Europe more equal, and therefore even better. •
Differences in the gender pay gap between countries are massive
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A journey to the worst nightmare TRAFFICKING in women is a highly growing market. This market is fed by the racist and power fantasies mainly of western men who spend their money on possessing women and girls sexually. For a dramatically increasing number of female beings globally, the violent scenes of movies is in fact their life. by Eirini Daliani (GR)
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he problem of trafficking in women for the purpose of prostitution was already known in public at the end of the 19th century. According to UN reports, girls and women from South and South-East Asia (Burma, China, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam), East Europe (the Baltic, Ukraine), and Latin America (Brazil) are particularly at risk today. The actual number of instances is difficult to estimate however. According to local NGO’s, between 200,000 and 2 million women work as prostitutes in Thailand alone. Trafficking in people is an increasing problem that involves both sexual exploitation and labor exploitation of its victims. Trafficking affects all regions and the majority of countries in the world. Both men and women may be victims of trafficking, but the primary victims worldwide are women and girls, the majority whom are trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Traffickers primarily target women because they are disproportionately affected by poverty and discrimination, factors that impede their access to employment, educational opportunities and other resources. Sex and labor trafficking of women is a complicated phenomenon with many factors that affect women’s decisions to work abroad. Perhaps the strongest factor is a desperate economic situation, which affects women more severely than men in terms of availability of satisfactory employment in many countries. Women may become victims of trafficking when they seek assistance
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to obtain employment, work permits, visas and other travel documents. In many countries young girls find solution to their bad economic situation, for example when they want to cover their studies expenses, through prostitution. Traffickers take advantage of women’s vulnerable circumstances and may lure them into crime networks through deceit and false promises of decent working conditions and fair pay. Women may go abroad knowing that they will work in the sex industry, but without awareness of the terrible work conditions and the violence that accompany the trafficking business. Other women answer job advertisements for positions abroad such as dancers, waitresses, and nannies, only to find themselves held against their will and forced prostitution and sexual slavery. In the destination countries, women are subjected to physical violence, sex assault and rape, battery, imprisonment, threats and other forms of coercion. Even if there are plenty of measures implemented by institutions and governments, the problem still exists. We should not remain passive. It takes both words and actions to produce results and it is high time to put an end to the suffering of million women and girls, whose lives are the reflection of their worst nightmares. Through the eyes of female delegates: Burce (EMPL): “Sex abuse of women and girls is very disgusting. Men should realise that females are not sex objects and respect them” Iraz (FEMM): “I am totally against female trafficking. It affects their future and especially their future career. It definitely has a negative impact on their psychology. It so unfair for women to be victims. This is not what equality means”. Su (CULT): “The punishment for those exploiting women is not strict”. Zelal (AFCO): “The regulation in these cases is very vague”. Sezen (AFET): “I disagree because it is something illegal and those who take advantage of vulnerable women are not respectful. We do not even know their background”. Ayben (FEMM): “It is such a humiliation for those women and girls. It is unfair.” Zeynep Yilmaz (ITRE): “People’s minds have to change!” •
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Funny‌ but sexist GENDER roles are both implicitly and directly emphasised in some comics, which sometimes can be really offensive as well. Those comics are supposed to just make people laugh, though the messages they include may lead to the perception of the society about gender roles. In this case, we will laugh at these comics here, even when we know that they are against the values and principles we defend. Therefore, while enjoying those, try to examine the gender roles and how they are described as you will learn a lot about the stereotypes of men and women. by Levent Aslan (TR)
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Your mouth, the gateway THE MOUTH is vital to the survival of a human being. Evolutionarily it was the first knife we ever used. The mouth keeps us alive as it allows us to feed and hydrate… Yet there are many other ways in which you can use it. by Genco Çakır (TR) and Clémence Rérolle (FR)
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he first humans used to have much stronger jaws than we have now. Since they could not craft sharp tools, their mouths were their primary means of cutting through things. Through human evolution, however, we learned to create instruments out of natural resources. Hence, the size of our jaws diminished and so did the practicality of our mouths. But don’t let this evolutionary deterioration fool you. Mouths have become more meaningful… in every way. A mouth is not just lips, a range of teeth and a tongue. It is the home of many emotions, some of which are derived from addictions, like alcohol, tobacco and food. More importantly, though, not only does it help you express your ideas, but it also reveals your most inner thoughts and feelings without you even knowing it. Whether you are excited, moved or angry, your mouth is here to make it obvious. The difference between a smile on a face and a frown is bigger than one might think. Just by using the shape of your lips, or revealing your teeth, you may instil different feelings in other people. The mouth is at the heart of your senses. Your bloodfilled lips and your awakened taste buds are aroused by
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sweet, sour or bitter sensations on a daily basis. While discovering a new flavour, shivers will stimulate your whole body. When aroused by a new taste, humans experience more than a static feeling: they go through a whole process of excitement. Yet mouths go beyond tasting life’s flavours. They are essential to express your deepest opinions and embrace your freedom of speech. Everyday, you are penetrated by various ideas. Your mouth is here to drive them out and empty your mind through communication. Don’t let frustration sink in; relieve yourself as much as possible. EYP is here to help you make it happen. Exploit the opportunity. •
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Prefabricated Houses & Moduler Containers