International Anti-Homophobia Meeting in Ankara, Turkey (May 17 – 21, 2006)
Kaos GL is organizing an International Anti-Homophobia Week in Ankara/Turkey from May 17th till May 21st. We hope that lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders as well as heterosexual individuals will join the activities during this week. You are invited. If you can't attend the meeting personally, we would appreciate it if you could share with us your information, experiences, ideas, concerns and suggestions.
With best regards,
Ali Erol
Kaos Gay-Lesbian Cultural Researches and Solidarity Association, Ankara / Turkey
1- What will be the topics in these meetings?
Although the finalized program will be determined by April 15, 2006, you can find some information about the meeting program as following:
Anti-Homophobia Conference
A famous author and a social psychology professor will speak about homosexuality, homophobia and sexual orientation discriminations.
Family Workshop
Gay-lesbian partnerships, marriage, starting a family... Problems of families with homosexual sons/daughters... Coming out to parents... How parents' attitudes around this issue are going to change ... Homophobia in the family and resistance tactics of gay-lesbian youth...
Local Forum
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders living far from the cities will talk about their rural experience and the lifestyle they follow.
Lesbian Workshop
Lesbian existence and homophobia directed at lesbians
Lesbian anti-homophobic strategies
(Open only to lesbian and bisexual women)
Gay-Lesbian Movie Video workshops...
Mainly short films with gay-lesbian characters or with homosexual subject
Feminist Forum
-It is an open forum for all women-
Feminist struggles and homophobia
Workshop for Homosexual Refugees
The problems of the LGBT refugees living in Turkey
International Forum of Anti-Homophobic Life Experiences
Sexual Health Workshop
HIV-AIDS Activities
The struggle for sexual health rights
How are gays & lesbians excluded from the sexual health area?
Mainstream Media - Communication Forum
What kind of a relationship do we want to establish with media?
How do we spread the word the LGBT media tools?
Anti-Militarist Forum Against Homophobia
Militarism and masculinity... militarism and homosexuality
The problems of gay soldiers...
Homophobia in Labor Life and Gay-Lesbian Worker/Officer Forum
Problems of gay-lesbian workers and officers...
How can we fight against discrimination based on sexual orientation and against homophobic attitudes and practices in labor life?
Forum on psychological issues
Homophobia in the area of mental health issues
Gays and lesbians discuss with psychotherapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, psychological consultants and counselors
Queer Forum
Homophobia in Education / Campus Forum
How can we fight against homophobic attitudes and practices towards gay and lesbian students in secondary education and university campus.
Compulsory heterosexuality... sexual education... trade union of teachers... ministry of education...
Private Workshops
These are workshops which only gays or/and lesbians can join under the guidance of a psychologist moderator.
2- Where and when will the symposiums take place?
May 17, 2006 Wednesday and May 18, 2006 Thursday (day time) – University of Ankara, Cebeci Campus, Ankara
May 17, 2006 Wednesday and May 18, 2006 Thursday (night time) – to be determined before April 15, 2006.
May 19, 2006 Friday and May 20, 2006 Saturday (day/night) - Esin Art Place (Esin Sanat Merkezi), Kizilay, Ankara
3- What is Kaos GL?
In the summer of 1994, the Ankara branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD) established a Gay and Lesbian Rights Commission. The Commission included KAOS GL, which was already publishing KAOS GL at that time. However, when a new administration took over Ankara’s IHD branch, it withdrew recognition of the Commission and, after an internal vote, shut it down. As a result, the LGBT members of Ankara’s IHD branch left the IHD in protest, and some of them joined KAOS GL. Since then, KAOS GL has defined itself as an independent homosexual group, and it remains a vital component of Turkey's homosexual movement.
KAOS GL applied for non-government organisation (NGO) status with the Ministry of the Interior in July 2005 under the name of Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Research and Solidarity Organization. Although the deputy governor of the capital, Ankara, had petitioned a court to rule that Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Research and Solidarity Organization is breaking the nation's immorality laws, in October 2005 the Prosecutor decided not to proceed with the case. KAOS GL has been a legally registered non-government organisation (NGO) since October 2005.
4- Who will participate to these meetings?
We are in contact with LGBT individuals from Macedonia, Poland, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Greece and USA. Representatives from ILGA and ILGA-Europe indicated that they will join the meetings. LGBT organizations from Holland, Sweden, Spain have expressed their commitment. We are also expecting diplomats from some European embassies who came to our meeting last year.
Last year, on February 15, 2005 a series of conferences were held in Ankara to provide information to the Turkish and foreign public about “Human Rights Seminars for the LGBT Community in Turkey Project”. For the first time embassies from different Western countries attended the conference regarding LGBT issues either by directly attending or sending one of their representatives (United Kingdom, Netherlands, Australia, Denmark, USA, Germany, and Norway). Also representatives from European Commission and EU Reproductive Health Program were present.
5- When will the final list of the participants be announced?
The complete list of the organizations and individuals will be announced on April 15, 2006.
6- How can I contact with Kaos GL in order to attend the meeting?
Please fill out the form on the web site: www.kaosgl.com
With best regards,
Ali Erol
Kaos Gay-Lesbian Cultural Researches and Solidarity Association, Ankara / Turkey
1- What will be the topics in these meetings?
Although the finalized program will be determined by April 15, 2006, you can find some information about the meeting program as following:
Anti-Homophobia Conference
A famous author and a social psychology professor will speak about homosexuality, homophobia and sexual orientation discriminations.
Family Workshop
Gay-lesbian partnerships, marriage, starting a family... Problems of families with homosexual sons/daughters... Coming out to parents... How parents' attitudes around this issue are going to change ... Homophobia in the family and resistance tactics of gay-lesbian youth...
Local Forum
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders living far from the cities will talk about their rural experience and the lifestyle they follow.
Lesbian Workshop
Lesbian existence and homophobia directed at lesbians
Lesbian anti-homophobic strategies
(Open only to lesbian and bisexual women)
Gay-Lesbian Movie Video workshops...
Mainly short films with gay-lesbian characters or with homosexual subject
Feminist Forum
-It is an open forum for all women-
Feminist struggles and homophobia
Workshop for Homosexual Refugees
The problems of the LGBT refugees living in Turkey
International Forum of Anti-Homophobic Life Experiences
Sexual Health Workshop
HIV-AIDS Activities
The struggle for sexual health rights
How are gays & lesbians excluded from the sexual health area?
Mainstream Media - Communication Forum
What kind of a relationship do we want to establish with media?
How do we spread the word the LGBT media tools?
Anti-Militarist Forum Against Homophobia
Militarism and masculinity... militarism and homosexuality
The problems of gay soldiers...
Homophobia in Labor Life and Gay-Lesbian Worker/Officer Forum
Problems of gay-lesbian workers and officers...
How can we fight against discrimination based on sexual orientation and against homophobic attitudes and practices in labor life?
Forum on psychological issues
Homophobia in the area of mental health issues
Gays and lesbians discuss with psychotherapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, psychological consultants and counselors
Queer Forum
Homophobia in Education / Campus Forum
How can we fight against homophobic attitudes and practices towards gay and lesbian students in secondary education and university campus.
Compulsory heterosexuality... sexual education... trade union of teachers... ministry of education...
Private Workshops
These are workshops which only gays or/and lesbians can join under the guidance of a psychologist moderator.
2- Where and when will the symposiums take place?
May 17, 2006 Wednesday and May 18, 2006 Thursday (day time) – University of Ankara, Cebeci Campus, Ankara
May 17, 2006 Wednesday and May 18, 2006 Thursday (night time) – to be determined before April 15, 2006.
May 19, 2006 Friday and May 20, 2006 Saturday (day/night) - Esin Art Place (Esin Sanat Merkezi), Kizilay, Ankara
3- What is Kaos GL?
In the summer of 1994, the Ankara branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD) established a Gay and Lesbian Rights Commission. The Commission included KAOS GL, which was already publishing KAOS GL at that time. However, when a new administration took over Ankara’s IHD branch, it withdrew recognition of the Commission and, after an internal vote, shut it down. As a result, the LGBT members of Ankara’s IHD branch left the IHD in protest, and some of them joined KAOS GL. Since then, KAOS GL has defined itself as an independent homosexual group, and it remains a vital component of Turkey's homosexual movement.
KAOS GL applied for non-government organisation (NGO) status with the Ministry of the Interior in July 2005 under the name of Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Research and Solidarity Organization. Although the deputy governor of the capital, Ankara, had petitioned a court to rule that Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Research and Solidarity Organization is breaking the nation's immorality laws, in October 2005 the Prosecutor decided not to proceed with the case. KAOS GL has been a legally registered non-government organisation (NGO) since October 2005.
4- Who will participate to these meetings?
We are in contact with LGBT individuals from Macedonia, Poland, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Greece and USA. Representatives from ILGA and ILGA-Europe indicated that they will join the meetings. LGBT organizations from Holland, Sweden, Spain have expressed their commitment. We are also expecting diplomats from some European embassies who came to our meeting last year.
Last year, on February 15, 2005 a series of conferences were held in Ankara to provide information to the Turkish and foreign public about “Human Rights Seminars for the LGBT Community in Turkey Project”. For the first time embassies from different Western countries attended the conference regarding LGBT issues either by directly attending or sending one of their representatives (United Kingdom, Netherlands, Australia, Denmark, USA, Germany, and Norway). Also representatives from European Commission and EU Reproductive Health Program were present.
5- When will the final list of the participants be announced?
The complete list of the organizations and individuals will be announced on April 15, 2006.
6- How can I contact with Kaos GL in order to attend the meeting?
Please fill out the form on the web site: www.kaosgl.com
