Sabiha Sertel wasn’t just ahead of her time — she pretty much ignored the idea that time should limit her at all. Born in 1895 in what is now Thessaloniki, she grew up during huge world changes and decided early on that women deserved a voice in shaping the future. After studying sociology in the United States, she returned to Turkey full of ideas, energy, and a strong belief that society could be fairer for everyone.
Through journalism, she spoke openly about women’s rights, education, and social justice. Not exactly quiet, safe topics back then. Her fearless writing eventually got her into serious trouble. After tensions around the newspaper Tan, she and her husband were arrested and spent time in prison in the mid-1940s. For many people that might have been the end of the story — but not for Sabiha.
Even after prison, she kept writing, thinking, and standing by her beliefs. Ongoing pressure eventually pushed her to live abroad, but she never stopped being a voice for change. She spent her later years in exile before passing away in 1968.
Sabiha Sertel’s story is a reminder that sometimes the people who make the biggest difference are the ones who refuse to stay quiet — even when life makes that incredibly difficult.