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'Welcome to Fidan-tok': How one Sydney mum became an internet celebrity

By Madhurima Haque|

F?idan Shevket is a seemingly ordinary Sydney mum จC she works as a lawyer, has beautiful twins, and makes dinner for her family every night. Oh, and she has 130,000 followers on TikTok, simply from documenting her everyday life.

Shevket's TikTok career began with speaking about family law cases and giving audiences an insight into what it entails, but the mum-of-two eventually found herself gaining a following for her ?straight-shooter personality ?and candid content, with many checking in for their daily dose of "Fidan-tok".

The content she is known for includes her "Saturday Platter day", where she films herself creating a platter for one meal out of the week because, in her own words, "we don't f--king cook on Saturday nights"; her easy weekday meals, most of which are directly from the freezer aisle at Aldi, and her sharply contrasting shopping trips to Prada and Coach because "let's face it, I can afford it".

Fidan Shevket TikTok
F?idan Shevket has grown to fame on TikTok. (TikTok)

"There's no rule that says you can't have more than one niche, you can. It's an app that allows you to report on whatever you like. So who cares? I'll throw out the rulebook and do anything that I want to," she tells 9Honey.

It is this attitude that draws viewers in, with Shevket even being approached in public for pictures, which she finds "sweet".

"It's not something that happens to regular people like me," she says with a laugh, adding she feels "like a Kardashian" at times.

Shevket even gets messages from followers asking for advice in personal matters, particularly young students who are at a crossroad in their lives, seeking guidance.

"I always write back and try and encourage people to follow their dreams, follow their passions, because it's never too late to do that stuff," she says.

"But it doesn't really shock me that people will come to me rather than their family or their friends or people they actually know, to approach a stranger to ask some advice about their own personal circumstances."

Fidan Shevket TikTok
Shevket has no qualms about shopping at Prada in an everyday t-shirt. (TikTok)

She believes the key is to not let others' preconceived notions hold you back, whether it be those of your parents, your friends, your partner, or even yourself. ?

"The reason that people don't go out and achieve things is probably because someone's holding them back," adding many people are fearful of the unknown.

She says she has always "had this strong sense of success": "It doesn't matter if you fail, I couldn't care if I fail. But I do say, well, it's worth giving it a shot, so just having that sense of confidence to try new things and try to achieve your goals.

Shevket says she has always been determined, sticking to her plans for herself no matter how long it took. Whether it was her law career, her partner, or having kids and settling down, she knew what she wanted and pursued it with a passion.

"I was always on the mission to try and get there and ultimately it took me years...[but] I got there eventually," she says, adding she only recently had her kids, at age 40.

Though her individualistic personality may have drawn viewers in, Shevket says it came from a need to distance herself from her strict religious parents? from a young age, leaving home to go to university and never returning since.

Fidan Shevket
Shevket speaking on an episode of Insight in 2018. (SBS)

"I was just dying to get out of that house and sort of growing up feeling like my freedom was really restricted. And when I finally got out and was able to be a uni student... I really was inspired to do everything that I set my mind to, because I felt so restricted."

She realised the solution to her parents' rules was financial independence, which she began chasing as soon as she could.

"Once you get financial independence, you don't have to listen to what your parents say anymore. And I was very aware of that... I was determined to get to the other side of that financial independence, just so I could then make my own choices and not be bound by what my parents said that I should do or have to do."

Though she now enjoys living how she wants and speaking her mind, and though many praise her for that very reason, Shevket has recently learned putting it on the internet opens her up to scrutiny.

After a publishing a promotional video earlier this week for a restaurant that held an "Australia Day" event on January 26, Shevket was criticised by viewers who disagreed with celebrating the occasion.

Fidan Shevket TikTok
Shevket faced criticism after referring to January 26 as 'Australia Day' in a restaurant review this week. (TikTok)

It soon grew out of hand after she uploaded follow-up videos explaining she would be "celebrating" the day by spending time with her family and taking advantage of the public holiday, telling audiences to "ease up". She has since seen the impact her words have had on others, uploading a reflective apology video two days ago.

Shevket says she could never have predicted the extent of the reaction to her initial comment and subsequent explanation.

"In the video I talked about the backlash I received from referencing 26 January as 'Australia Day'?. My comments have since been misquoted, misunderstood and taken out of context," she says.

"I did not mean to offend anyone or diminish what the day means, or represents, to many people. I have apologised to those that were offended.

"I will choose my words carefully in the future."

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