Abstract
In this study, the perception of female members of the Ismailaga Community, which is based in Istanbul's Fatih district and apparently gives the image of a religious group with a strict-traditionalist attitude to women, towards the gender roles, was discussed. The aim of the study is to reveal the opinions of female members of the Ismailaga Community about “woman” and “gender roles” and their reflections of those thoughts in daily life. The qualitative research method was used in the study. In the study, multiple data collection tools were used, including semi-structured interviews, participant observation, the examination of the written sources belonging to the community, and the materials in the audio-visual media. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with twenty women. It was revealed that the perception of a woman “standing one step behind the man”, “home-centered” and contenting only with traditional gender roles, in religious information sources of the community and the discourses of their teachers was adopted a discourse by the participants, but their life practices were shaped differently from this acceptance.
[You may find an extended abstract of this article after the bibliography.]