editor's pick

  • Song of the day: Shengal by Rojda 

    Singer Rojda’s song “Shengal” is about the genocide against Yazidis on August 3, 2014. “They shout, call for help But no one hears their voice They are hungry and have no clothes to wear They are helpless on mountains.”

  • Book of the day: Virgin: The Untouched History by Hanne Blank 

    In “Virgin: The Untouched History by Hanne Blank,” Hanne Blank brings us a revolutionary, rich, and entertaining survey of astonishing untouched history. She tackles the reality of what we do and don't know about virginity and provides a sweeping tour of virgins in history. In this fascinating work, Hanne Blank shows for the first time why everything we think we know about virginity is wrong.

  • Today in History: The start of women’s revolution in Rojava 

    The July 19th Revolution, which started in Kobanî and was soon heard in the region and the world, went down in history as the “Women’s Revolution”. On March 15, 2011, the Syrian civil war broke out and the peoples of NE Syria started to build their future against the Assad regime nine years ago today. And then, they staged a struggle against ISIS.

  • Portrait of the day: Catherine Leroy 

    Legendary war photographer Catherine Leroy was 21 years old when she bought a one-way ticket to Saigon in 1966 to take photos of American soldiers in Vietnam. She became the first accredited journalist to participate in a combat parachute jump on February 23, 1967, joining the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Operation Junction City. In 1968, she was captured by the North Vietnamese Army. She managed to talk her way out and emerged as the first newsperson to take photographs of North Vietnamese Army Regulars behind their own lines. The subsequent story made the cover of Life Magazine. She was the first woman to receive the Robert Capa Gold Medal Award. Her photographs were published in newspapers and magazines all over the world. Leroy won numerous awards for her work, including in 1967 the George Polk Awards.

  • Book of the day: Haifa Fragments by Khulud Khamis 

    “Haifa Fragments” is the first novel written by Palestinian writer Khulud Khamis. The novel has been translated into English, Turkish and Italian. Feminist writer Khulud Khamis tells the story about Palestinian identity in this novel. The main character of the novel is a young Palestinian and Christian woman living in Haifa. Khulud Khamis’ novel looks at the lives of Palestinian Christian women.

  • Book of the day: Haifa's Broken Parts by Hulûd Hamis 

    “Haifa's Broken Parts” is the first novel written by Palestinian writer Hulûd Hamis. The novel has been translated into English, Turkish and Italian. Feminist writer Hulûd Hamis writes about Palestinian identity in this novel. The novel tells the story of a young Palestinian woman living in Haifa but has an Israeli citizenship and she is also a Christian woman. Hulûd Hamis’s novel shows the lives of Palestinian Christian women.

  • Movie of the day: Good bye Lenin! 

    Good Bye Lenin! is a 2003 German tragicomedy film, directed by Wolfgang Becker. The story of the film is about the relationship between a mother, who believes in socialism, and her son. The film is set in East Berlin, from October 1989 to just a year after German reunification. Alex Kerner lives with his mother Christiane, who has a heart attack and falls into a coma after seeing Alex being arrested and beaten. She doesn’t know how the world changes when she is at the hospital. The film stars Daniel Brühl, Katrin Saß, Chulpan Khamatova, and Maria Simon. The film received numerous honors, including 2003's European Film Award for Best Film and German Film Award for Best Fiction Film.

  • Song of the day: Someone to watch over me by Ella Jane Fitzgerald 

    Ella Jane Fitzgerald was an American jazz singer. She was famous for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, intonation. In her fifty years music career, she earned fourteen Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1967. She was the first African American woman to receive the honor. She was born on April 25, 1917 and died on June 15, 1996.

  • Song of the day: Music of Refugees/ Orta(k) Doğu 

    In our world, where millions of people have to change cities, countries, and even continents, this song is a remarkable song with its lyrics and melody telling the problems of being a refugee. Mülteci Makamı (Music of Refugees) is written and composed by Memo Hussain Hajj. The lyrics of the song are as follows; “We apologize if we become beggars in squares, avenues, and streets. We apologize if we become illegal workers in your workplaces, workshops, and fields. We apologize if our bodies wash ashore. We apologize, we cannot complain. We drowned in crocodile tears. In truth, I am a refugee.”

  • Song of the day: Leman Sam/Daha Gidecek Çok Yolumuz Var 

    Leman Sam's origins have been described as Rumeli. She has sung in nearly 20 languages such as Turkish, Azerbaijani, Greek, French and Spanish. She is not only well known as a famous singer but also as an advocate for nature and animal rights. She has taken part in many works to protect nature and animal rights. For instead, she was one of 282 artist members of the “Art Initiative For Peace”. The initiative members sang songs at anti-nuclear protests in Turkey. Let’s listen to her song Daha Gidecek Çok Yolumuz Var (We Still Have A Long Way To Go).

  • Today in History: Vivian Malone becomes first black woman enroll at University of Alabama 

    Vivian Malone was one of the first two black students to enroll at the University of Alabama on June 11, 1963, and she became the university's first black graduate in 1965. Vivian Malone was born in Mobile, Alabama on July 15, 1942, the fourth of eight children. Her parents both worked at Brookley Air Force Base. Her parents emphasized the importance of receiving an education and made sure that their children attended college.

  • Movie of the day: Black Book (Zwartboek) 

    Black Book is a 2006 war drama thriller film. The film is about a young Jewish woman in the Netherlands who becomes a spy for the resistance during World War II after tragedy befalls her in an encounter with the Nazis. The film is directed by Paul Verhoeven and starring Carice van Houten, Sebastian Koch, Thom Hoffman, and Halina Reijn.

  • Song of the day: Trio Mandili/ Erti Nakhvit 

    Trio Mandili is a Georgian musical group that currently consists of three women. They became popular in Georgia when they uploaded a music video in which they perform Georgian folk songs and posted their video online, gathered over five million views. Trio Mandili has sung songs in other languages.

  • Book of the day: The Paper Bag Princess 

    The Paper Bag Princess is a children's book written by Robert Munsch and illustrated by Michael Martchenko. It was first published in 1980. The story reverses the princess and dragon stereotype. As a result, it has won critical acclaim from feminists. Since it was first published in 1980 it has sold more than seven million copies worldwide. The main character of the book is Princess Elizabeth, who is a brave, smart and resilient young woman. She plans to marry Prince Ronald, who she thinks is perfect. However, a dragon arrives who destroys her castle, kidnaps Ronald, and burns all her clothes, so she must look for something to wear. Her only option is a paper bag. She tries to save the prince from the dragon.

  • Portrait of the day: Şemse Allak 

    Şemse Allak was a mother of five. She raped by her neighbor Halil Açıl in July 2002. The incident came to light when she became pregnant. Şemse Allak was forcibly married Halil Açıl as his second wife. But her brother decided to kill her to save their “honor”. Three men found Şemse and Halil Açıl in Mardin on November 21, 2002, and beat them using stones and sticks. Halil Açıl died at the scene while Şemse was seriously wounded. She was taken to a hospital. She died on June 7, 2003, after six months in a coma. Women’s organizations protested the killing of Şemse

  • Book of the day: SCUM Manifesto by Valerie Solanas 

    Society for Cutting Up Men Manifesto is a radical feminist manifesto by Valerie Solanas, published in 1967. It argues that men have ruined the world, and that it is up to women to fix it. To achieve this goal, it suggests the formation of SCUM, an organization dedicated to overthrowing society and eliminating the male sex. It is a valid criticism of patriarchy in society. The manifesto opens with the declaration: “Life" in this "society" being, at best, an utter bore and no aspect of "society" being at all relevant to women, there remains to civic-minded, responsible, thrill-seeking females only to overthrow the government, eliminate the money system, institute complete automation and eliminate the male sex.”

  • Today in history: First Middle East Women’s Conference 

    The first Middle East Women’s Conference was held in Amed, city of the Northern Kurdistan on May 31, 2013. 250 women from different countries participated in the conference. The women came together to share their experiences and ideas at the three-day conference.

  • Song of the day: Behiye Aksoy/ Gülünce Gözlerinin İçi Gülüyor 

    When we want to listen to Gülünce Gözlerinin İçi Gülüyor (Your eyes smile when you smile) song, we remember Zeki Müren and Behiye Aksoy. Behiye Aksoy She was born in 1929. She was one of the most famous singers of her time and she received a platinum diadem for her success from her record company. She left her career in music in 1980. She suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and died in İstanbul on 31 May 2015.

  • Song of the day: Kardeş Türküler/ Sound of Pots and Pans 

    Kardeş Türküler is a contemporary ethnic/folkloric band in Turkey. It was formed in 1993 with a series of stage performances given by the music branch of the Folklore Club at Boğaziçi University in Turkey. Their song “Sound of Pots and Pans” was released in 2013 for the Gezi Park protests. During the protests, the protesters in Istanbul grabbed their crockery and spread the echoing sound of pots and pans from their balconies and windows.