Sila Sahin | A Naked Statement

Sila Sahin, first Turkish woman to appear nude on the cover of Playboy.
Sila Sahin, first Turkish woman to appear nude on the cover of Playboy.
  • Sila Sahin, first Turkish woman to appear nude on the cover of Playboy.

By posing nude for Playboy, Sila Sahin stirred a controversity in the Muslim community.

When actress Sila Sahin became the first Turkish woman to appear on the cover of the Playboy magazine she upset many Muslim conservatives.  Others, like author  Asra Q. Nomani , supported her as “an important milestone on Muslim women’s path to defining awrah for themselves.”  Siha herself was aware that the nude photographs would stir a discussion.

“For too long I tried to do everything right. I want these photos to show young Turkish women it’s okay for you to live however you choose. Many of my countrymen think it’s great that I can be so free. With the shoot I hoped to say to them that we do not necessarily have to live under these rules given to us.”

“I have always abided by what men say. As a result I developed an extreme desire for freedom. I feel like Che Guevara. I have to do everything I want, otherwise I feel like I may as well be dead.”

 

While Sila send a clear statement toward the often conservative Turkish community, she was falsely labeled the first Muslim woman to pose naked for Playboy. In fact she is not Muslim, but if her appearance triggered a discussion about women with immigrant backgrounds and the religious and cultural constraints they often face, it can´t be wrong.

 

Follow the Bunny: To see more of Sila Sahin head over to Playboy Plus.