Zeybekci: I Called İzmir ‘Most Beautiful Girl in Neighborhood’, Not ‘Woman’

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Justice and Development Party's (AKP) candidate for İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Nihat Zeybekci has given an interview to Ayşe Arman from Hürriyet newspaper and commented on his statement, "İzmir is the most beautiful girl in the neighborhood; who doesn't want her?"

Stating that "his remarks were not criticized by ladies, whom he is close with," Zeybekci has answered the questions of Arman as follows:

Ayşe Arman: Didn't you say in your election campaign, "İzmir is a beautiful girl; who doesn't want to take her?"

Nihat Zeybekci: No, I said, "İzmir is the most beautiful girl in the neighborhood, who doesn't want her!" There is no taking in question!

Arman: I have talked to some people from İzmir, they didn't like your remarks. They found the statement "İzmir is a beautiful girl" a bit 'sexist'.

Zeybekci: No way. I didn't receive any negative reactions. There are some ladies, some friends in İzmir, whom we are close with, and they said, "It was really a nice approach." Isn't it a part of our culture to use such similes while describing the things that we like? The following inference shouldn't be made from my statement "İzmir is the most beautiful girl in the neighborhood, who doesn't want her": "She is the most beautiful woman in the neighborhood."

Arman: Oh my! What is wrong with saying a "woman"? The differentiation between a woman and a girl does disturb me...

Zeybekci: Ms. Ayşe, my stance regarding the issue of women is known by all. While I was the Chair of the Exporters' Association 15 years ago, I used to say, referring to women's branches, "For God's sake, if there is no men's branch, why do you establish a women's branch?" (PT/SD)