“From a young girl who had to comply with the realities of a society unquestioningly, to a woman who committed herself to live her life as an individual,” said Rabia Okur last week when sharing her photos.

Okur said she began wearing the hijab when she was 12-years-old. She said she had seen it as only natural as she had been brought up in a conservative environment. But when she started secondary school, she said she started questioning the reasons. At first, her questioning led her to follow the rules of Islam more carefully as she thought that if she wore hijab, she had to live accordingly.

Okur took off her hijab during her second year at university. She said she had made the decision after observing the inequalities between men and women and polarisation within society.

“When I started noticing those inequalities, I came across feminism. The gap between my beliefs and my opinions were widening,” Okur said, adding that wearing hijab became more difficult as her opinions changed.

“I must add that taking off hijab is much harder than putting it on,” she said. “I was insulted many times when I was covered, but I have been facing different insults since I took it off.”

Okur said her family for a long time could not accept her decision and psychologically had pressured her. But as a result of her determination, they got used to it. “If only woman can take the courage. If only they do not give up their struggle and self-respect,” she said.

Elif: