  Part: 5  Turkey's Political Tensions Weigh on Women's Heads
Monday, March 17, 2008  In the wake of Turkey's lifting of the
head scarf ban women's groups have been grappling with the
damage to tentative secular-Islamist partnerships.   Neslihan
Akbulut  ISTANBUL, Turkey (WOMENSENEWS)--Standing outside of
Istanbul's Bilgi University, first-year student Efna Yilmazer
was wearing a bright orange, floral pattern headscarf and a big
smile on her face.  The Turkish parliament had recently passed a
set of constitutional reforms lifting a decades-old ban on
wearing headscarves in universities, and this was the first week
that Yilmazer could openly wear hers to school.  "I feel happy,"
said Yilmazer, dressed in a long denim skirt and a red cardigan.
"I have my freedom now. Before I didn't feel free."  Previously
the 20-year-old student would take off her headscarf before
entering school, for fear the guards at the gate wouldn't let
her in.  Standing next to Yilmazer was a friend, Dilek Kocal,
whose long, dark hair i