Challenge Accepted: Here's Why Women Are Posting Black-And-White Selfies on Instagram
A lot of women are now posting their black-and-white photos on Instagram with a caption or hashtag, "Challenge accepted."
Even artists and celebrities are doing the trending campaign that lit up the internet on July 27. Paula Abdul, Zooey Deschanel, Paris Hilton and Meghan Trainor have already posted their pictures with the same hashtag and caption.
Abdul nominated friends from the industry like Janet Jackson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato and Katy Perry to participate in the challenge.
Kim Kardashian and Ciara have also participated in the challenge by posting their black-and-white photos on their Instagram stories.
So far, over three million photos have been posted on Instagram. Facebook users are now also participating in the challenge, a report said.
Women from all walks of life are participating themselves, which makes you question what's the reason behind it.
What Is It?
The "Challenge accepted" campaign aims to show the support women have for one another, while also celebrating themselves.
Women can participate by posting their own black-and-white photo and using the hashtag #ChallengeAccepted or #WomenSupportingWomen.
Other reports noted that it is actually an old challenge that has resurfaced. However, a Twitter user said the challenge is not just a mere feel-good and women empowerment. It is actually a movement that aims to raise awareness of femicide in Turkey.
Originally, it has more hashtags in Turkish that usually went with the photo. But the movement became viral and the message has been lost.
Femicide On Turkey
A report said violence against women in Turkey is not that uncommon. One of the recent killings is the murder of a 27-year-old student Pinar Gültekin by her former boyfriend Cemal Metin Avci.
Gültekin's remains were found in woodland in the Aegean province of MuÄŸla on Tuesday, according to a The Guardian report.
Reports noted that Avci burned Gültekin's body in a garbage bin and covered it with concrete. He has been detained on homicide charges.
When asked why he killed Gültekin, Avici said he killed her in a moment of rage.
"She threatened to let my wife know about the relationship. She was asking for money," Avici was quoted in a report.
A 2009 study showed that 42 percent of Turkish women aged between 15 and 60 had suffered some physical or sexual violence by their husbands or partners. In 2019, around 474 women were murdered, mostly by partners and relatives.
With lockdown measures imposed this year due to the pandemic, many are expecting a rise in domestic violence rates. In April, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called for urgent action on the issue of violence against women.
Lobby groups have petitioned for changes to the Istanbul convention " on the grounds that it encourages divorce and "immoral lifestyles" The law is still being debated by parliament.
Meanwhile, higher officials make statements that are degrading to women, according to The Guardian. The country's president was reported saying that women are not equal to men and those that do not have children are deficient.
Former prime minister Binali Yıldırım has told supporters that instead of physically attacking women in public wearing shorts, they should verbally harass them instead.
In a report, Selin NakipoÄŸlu, an Istanbul-based solicitor specializing in family law, said the existing laws in Turkey "are actually strong, [but] they're just not enforced."
"On top of that, the government is trying to roll back things like child support and introduce mediation in divorce proceedings, even if there was violence in the marriage," NakipoÄŸlu added.
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