The Women's World of Shefika Gasprinska
The daring story of a Crimean heroine in the early 20th century.
Khalise Zinedin. "Krymska Svitlytsa" newspaper, 2017, Issue No. 2
Shefika Gasprinska, the daughter of the educator Ismail Bey Gasprinsky, did not become a shadow of her famous father. On the contrary, her active public activity left a significant mark on the history of her people. Thanks to this amazing woman, as early as 1917, Muslim women achieved the eradication of polygamy, and political and social equality with men, which allowed them to enter all public spheres of activity in those years. It was Shefika Khanym who headed the movement of Crimean Tatar women for emancipation in Crimea, and her progressive enthusiasm became an example to follow for subsequent generations.
Shefika Gasprinska was born in 1886 in Bakhchysarai. From the age of 17, she began working with her father in the printing office of the "Terdjiman" newspaper, which became the family business of the Gasprinskys. For several years, for the sake of study, she had to leave the printing office. In 1905, she graduated from the pedagogical lyceum and returned to work at "Terdjiman." In the same year, the authorities allowed the publication of the first monthly women's magazine in the Muslim world, "Alem-i Nisvan" ("Women's World"), which was to be published as a supplement to "Terdjiman." Ismail Bey made Shefika the head of the magazine's editorial board. The young woman took up the work with responsibility and very soon made it a weekly scientific and literary magazine, the main goal of which was the spiritual development and education of Muslim women.
The following year, the young woman met the Azerbaijani public figure Yusuf Nasipbeyli. She conquered him with her mind, agility, and charm. In turn, Shefika was also not indifferent to Yusuf, and very soon the public of Crimea learned about the wedding of the daughter of the universally respected Ismail Gasprinsky and the young Azerbaijani politician. However, she did not leave Crimea. All her activity was now connected with her favorite magazine. But in 1911, the authorities closed it without explaining the reasons. All of Shefika Gasprinska's attempts to resume publication of the magazine in 1917 were unsuccessful.
During the years of the revolution, Shefika Gasprinska led a very active work. She initiated the creation of the Crimean Central Muslim Women's Committee, whose activities were to include the recognition of all rights for Muslim women. The committee's activities were aimed at introducing maternal and child protection, promoting the entry of Muslim women into all spheres of public and service activities, and conducting various events.
Shefika Gasprinska was not only an organizer and leader of the women's movement, but also a well-known political figure, friend and associate of the first president of the Crimean Republic, Noman Chelebidzhikhan. Thus, in November 1917, she was elected a delegate of the 1st Kurultai of the Crimean Tatar people from the Yevpatoriya district. After the defeat of the Crimean Tatar government and the execution of Chelebidzhikhan in February 1918, Shefika was forced to leave for Azerbaijan to join her husband. At this time, Yusuf Nasipbeyli became the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan, but in 1920, as a result of the Bolshevik coup, the national government in Azerbaijan was overthrown, and Yusuf was shot.
The tragic death of her husband forced Shefika Gasprinska to emigrate to Turkey, where she took an active part in the public life of refugees and worked in the "Red Crescent" society, and in the 1930s created the Union of Crimean Tatar Women in Istanbul.
Shefika Khanym Gasprinska lived a long life, most of which was spent far from her native Crimea. She died in Turkey in the 89th year of her life.