Turkey: Journalist Izel Sezer Faced Gender Discrimination From Male Colleagues

Location: Turkey, Antalya
Date: March 10, 2022

Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe

On International Women’s Day, reporter Izel Sezer was prevented from filming the Women’s March by her male colleagues and the police. Male reporters and the police attempted to prevent her from reporting because she did not have an "official press card" provided by the Directorate of Communication in Turkey. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) condemns the sexist attack on Izel.

While women journalists and reporters struggle with gender discrimination in all areas of their lives, the discrimination they face from male colleagues is unacceptable. We demand working areas where the principle of equality is taken into account and where women do not face any sexist and misogynistic attacks.

İleri Daily News reporter Izel Sezer was prevented from filming by her male colleagues while she was reporting the Feminist Night Parade held for March 8, International Women's Day in Antalya. Despite showing her institution and international press card, the police forces and two male reporters did not accept her press ID. They attempted to stop İzel from filming police intervention during the parade. After finding a safer place for her reportage, she was told to move somewhere else. Another male reporter who approached the journalist and was presumed to be a police report stated that the journalist was not the 'press'. The unidentified male reporters walked away after Izel did not leave the place she found. 

The journalist shared the footage of the argument she had on her Twitter account. "I was targeted by two male ‘journalists’ among hundreds of police for filming from a better place, disregarding my press ID,” she said. 

Bu video #Antalya’da Feminist Gece Yürüyüşü’ne polis saldırısı esnasından.

Emekçi Kadınlar Günü’nde, kurum kartım ve IFJ kartım hiçe sayılarak yüzlerce polisin arasında iki erkek “gazeteci” tarafından “daha iyi yerden çekim yaptığım için” hedef gösterildim. Tebrikler beyler. pic.twitter.com/p41Eyy36dL

— İzel Sezer (@izelsezer) March 9, 2022

Speaking to CFWIJ about the gender discrimination she experienced, Izel said that women face discrimination in every workplace. “In an environment where the police decide who is a journalist with their official press card [provided by Directorate of Communications in Turkey], it has always been tense, and we are facing such problems,” she said. 

“Some of our male colleagues in the field ignore us, step in front of us, and sometimes they even throw their shoulders and push us. I think we shouldn't struggle with each other in an environment where we become a target of authorities[in Turkey]," she continued and explained the harassment that women journalists faced. The journalist defended that reporters, who become a target of authorities in the country should not also struggle with any discrimination coming from male colleagues.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism extends solidarity to journalist Izel Sezer. In a world where male-dominated work areas control, as CFWIJ, we demand women journalists continue their job in equal and fair environments. Gender discrimination is never acceptable in any condition. We know that a world where the principle of equality is adopted and women journalists are respected is possible, and we demand male journalists continue their job with that understanding that prevails.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.