Ladies & Gentlemen Training

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Cumhuriyet Newspaper, 17 January 2019)


                        Setting a good example for guys.

A court in Ankara has ordered a man who treated his wife violently
to distribute 100 handouts that read "A brown bear can kill a cow
with one blow, but they never use their strength against their wives."
The offending husband also has to plant 15 saplings and look after
them for 6 months.  In addition, the 'ayı' (bear) must also take his
wife out to dinner every week for a year and submit a report to the
court in 6 months detailing his actions.


                                     Not so much...

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türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Milliyet Newspaper, 17 January 2019)


   "Remember girls, some day you'll be hunting for bears."

The Bağcılar municipality in Istanbul is providing 2 months of
'hanımefendilik' (ladylike) training to girl students preparing for
their university exams.  Arzu Arda, a mathematics engineer, is
giving the training and explained that "A lady first of all needs to
know how to sit and how to behave on the metro.  I don't want
this course to seem like a 'finishing school' because our aim is to
reach a higher level.  We are seeing how much compassion,
politeness and fairness have decreased these days."

"We're fighting among ourselves and with the animals.  Things
like how to walk, sit, get up and carry a purse are at their lowest
level.  If I were to use one word to describe how a lady should
behave I would say 'measured, well balanced.', in terms of our
religion, our customs and our particular culture.  We have
forgotten how to balance our behavior and it should be reciprocal.
So we are explaining to the girls the best way for a lady to behave
in public."

Some 'ladylike' tips:

A lady does not chat at length and loudly on the phone in public,
especially about private matters;

A lady carries her bag at her side or in front of her on the bus,
not on her back;

A lady does not sit spread out on the metro or at home;

Don't wave your silverware about while eating and don't talk
with your mouth full, as far as possible (!);

Don't lick your ice cream;

Address someone you've just met as 'siz' (formal 'you') and
never ask 'how old are you?'.  Use 'please' and 'thank you' a lot;

Don't address a man as 'abi' (older brother) and don't use slang;

At the table, start eating when everyone else does;

Keep yourself well-tended;

Don't ask someone you've just met 'are you married?' or 'how
many kids do you have?";

Don't dress outlandishly and don't put on make-up in the morning
as if you're going to a wedding;

Don't chew gum in public;

Don't share what you eat and drink on social media.