Turkish state dormitory bans female students from wearing pajamas outside rooms, cites 'morality'

Duvar English

A dormitory belonging to the state-run Credit and Dormitory Institution (KYK) in the western province of İzmir, has banned female students from wearing pajamas outside their rooms.

The management of the İzmir Cihannüma KYK Dormitory cited “morality” as the reason for their decision.

"Campus Witches,” a group of female college students fighting against violence and harassment of women in universities, released a statement on social media, saying that they are not accepting such “moralism and discrimination.”

“We are not accepting the moralism and discrimination that is imposed on us in our living spaces, in dormitories! You cannot meddle with what we wear where. We demand equal and safe dormitories,” the group said.

In the guidelines of the KYK, there is an article on the “code of ethics” which tells students not to “behave in a way that runs contrary to general moral principles within and outside the dormitory.”

The move of the İzmir dormitory came as Turkish university students are protesting the lack of affordable housing in the country, uniting under the movement of “Barınamıyoruz” (We cannot find shelter).

Students are struggling to find housing as rents have increased to a level above what an average student can pay and there is an insufficient number of dormitories.

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