The Representation of Gender Relations and Masculinities in Ahmet Ümit’s “Overlokçu Kız”

The aim of this paper is to analyze the representation of gender relations and masculinities in Ahmet Ümit’s “Overlokçu Kız,” a short story in Ümit’s book titled Aşkımız Eski Bir Roman published in 2019. “Overlokçu Kız” is a notable example to discuss gender politics because, as in real life, unequal gender relations pervade every single aspect of this fictional universe by shedding lights on the ways in which the unequal gender structure is constructed. In light of discussions surrounding the topics of gender and masculinities, this paper focusing on the characters in the story scrutinizes unequal gender relations in different contexts and cultural processes that contribute to the construction of patriarchy throughout the story. The paper also questions the power structures and relations between women and men and among masculinities. In this context, it discusses the ways in which the unequal gender structure is constructed in connection with the relationship between women and men along with the interactions among masculinities.