[EARLIEST ARMENIAN FEMINISM] Hay gin. [i.e. Armenian woman]. Edited by Hayganus Mark

HAY GIN., Constantinople (Istanbul), 1929.

Original wrappers. Folio. (34 x 25 cm). In Armenian. [36] p. in every issue, b/w ills. Instead of one issue, art-nouveau design on covers. Issues are: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7-8, 18 of 1929. 

Rare 8 late issues of the earliest Armenian feminist periodical ran between the last period of the Ottoman Empire and the early Republican Turkish period, by Armenian feminist writer Hayganus Mark (1884-1966, published bimonthly. While it had the longest publication life during the Ottoman Empire, the magazine ended its publication in 1933. The magazine featured feminism, the women's movement, and women's activities, and was mainly addressing Armenian women as it was published in a context supporting the Armenian national movement in its early years. Defining herself as a feminist, Mark also included the articles of various feminists in the magazine. This magazine occurred to be the women's magazine with the longest publication life in the history of the Ottoman Empire and Republican Turkey history.

Hayganush Mark, (1884-1966) was an Armenian feminist writer, poet, opinion journalist, prose, and public figure. Of Armenian descent, Hayganush Mark was born in Constantinople in 1884. Her father was Markar Topuzyan, a servant-broker from the province of Van, born in 1850 or 1851 (AR 1266), and her mother was Yebrakse, born in Constantinople in 1853 or 1854 (AR 1269). She adapted the family name "Mark", the short form of "Markar," following the enactment of the Surname Law in Turkey in the year 1934. Her first article was published in Manzûme-i Efkâr, an Armeno-Turkish periodical. Because of this article, she received job offers from periodicals like Pürag, Hanrakidag, Püzantion, and Panaser. She was not even twenty years of age when she was awarded second place in a poetry competition organized by the newspaper Masis. In 1909, she became the head of the Literary Commission of the recently-founded "Nationalist Armenian Women's Union". She got ready to open up Armenian schools in the province and to provide education for girls. As a result of these efforts of hers, the number of Armenian schools in Anatolia increased to 32. In 1919, she started to publish the bi-weekly feminist magazine Hay Gin. This time, the difference in her attitude was that not only women but both genders should be involved in the publishing of the periodical. She left her idea of separating men and women. She never gave up independence saying "if the Armenian Woman magazine will live under a flag, this can only be a womanhood flag". Her periodical continued to appear for another 14 years until 1933 when it was closed down by the Turkish government. It is noted that the paper was forced to close down because it was accused of supporting the "enemies of the Turks" for its support of the Allies during the post-World War I years.

Mark opposed "women becoming male in the name of emancipation". She said that "women must work and achieve their economic freedom", adding "in doing this, there is no need to be prepared to be rude, to destroy". According to her, "love is in the mind". She pointed out that "the education system is prepared from a male perspective", and further stated that "involvement of women in the curriculum preparation stage is imperative". Mark said that "men and women are different and equal", adding "women must claim their differences for themselves and for humanity". (Source: Wikipedia).

Not located in OCLC.