LGBT MOVEMENT IN TURKEY AND EUROPEAN UNION (2006)
Turkey has always been somewhere between the West and the East. Its culture includes both Western and Eastern values. These values sometimes clash with each other. A striking example of this clash is the struggle for human rights by Turkish lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBT). Providing solutions to the problems of the Turkish LGBT community will be one of the litmus tests for the future of the democracy in Turkey, as well as inclusion in the European Union.
There are reasons to be both optimistic and pessimistic regarding the fate of Turkish LGBT people.
The LGBT movement in Turkey is still in its early stages. However one can easily notice that the Turkish LGBT movement is becoming more vocal and active. Especially since the 1990s, the momentum has been steadily increasing.
In 2005 there are two very active and vocal Turkish LGBT organizations: Lambda Istanbul in Istanbul and Kaos GL in Ankara. There are also smaller LGBT groups established all over Turkey. For instance on March 2006 Rainbow Solidarity and Cultural Association became the second legally registered LGBT organization in Turkey after Kaos GL’s establishment.
Kaos GL
Founded in the capital of Turkey, Kaos GL has been one of the pioneer LGBT groups in Turkey since the early 1990s. Kaos GL (with the support of Lambda Istanbul) has been very active during the preparation of the new Turkish Penal Law in 2004. For the first time in the Turkish Republic’s history, a group of LGBT activists were present in the Parliament demanding their rights.
Kaos GL’s other contribution to the Turkish LGBT movement is the magazine it has published since 1994. In November 1999, when it received a warning from the Security Department Press Office, Kaos GL Magazine registered as a legal publication and has been published, as such, since December 1999. Kaos GL gained legal NGO (non-governmental organization) status in July 2005, becoming the first legally registered LGBT organization in Turkey.
Lambda Istanbul
Established in Istanbul, Lambda Istanbul has achieved many successes regarding the concerns of Turkish LGBT people. Lambda Istanbul organized many events to bring attention to the problems of the LGBT community. In June 2003, Lambda Istanbul celebrated its tenth Gay Pride week and the anniversary of its establishment. At that occasion, for the first time in Turkey’s history, about 50 gays and lesbians marched in a public demonstration down Istiklal Street in Istanbul, and issued a press statement at the end of the parade. Since then, members of Lambda Istanbul have marched outside, every year, with an increasing number of participants.
Problems of the LGBT Community
Of course there is also a negative side to this story. Although it is legal in Turkey to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, discrimination and persecution are also prevalent. It is too early to be optimistic about the future when it comes to LGBT rights.
There is still massive discrimination in both the public and private sector. It is very difficult for someone to press charges when he/she faces discrimination based on sexual orientation; Turkish laws do not recognize crimes of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Transgenders, who are often the most visible part of the LGBT community, continue to face discrimination and physical harassment by society. Just like gays and lesbians, they have little legal recourse. Although security forces have been very harsh to transgenders in the past, with the considerations regarding human rights by the European Union (EU) and the Turkish public, the situation is slowly improving.
European Union
Kaos GL is hoping that EU legislation will press Turkey for legislative and policy-related changes on issues of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Despite these difficulties, the prospect of EU membership has had a tremendously positive impact to the daily lives of all Turkish people including the LGBT community. It is essential to remember that Turkey is the only country with a Muslim majority that provides hope when it comes to LGBT rights. In a report prepared by Kaos GL previously, it was found that there are only six Muslim countries in which being a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender is legal and these countries are: Turkey, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. It is no coincidence that of these Turkey, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Azerbaijan have strong ties with the rest of European community.
Kaos GL urges the Turkish government and EU officials to take the necessary actions to:
- Amend the Turkish Penal Code in order to ban and criminalize discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
- Amend the Turkish Penal Code in order to remove the article penalizing consensual sexual relations between young people of 15 to 18 years of age.
- Amend the “obscenity” article in the Turkish Penal Code by clearly defining what constitutes “obscenity”.
- Revise its laws and eliminate vague terms such as “exhibitionism,” and “offenses against public morality,” which lead to subjective interpretation and can be used to harass and persecute people (especially transgenders) based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
- Develop programs for transgender people which will open employment possibilities outside the sex work trade and will help to ease the discrimination they are facing.
- Ease the restrictive requirements for sex reassignment surgery (the Turkish Civil Code allows sex reassignment surgery since 1988).
- Change military policy to admit homosexuals into the armed forces; allow conscientious objection, if a compulsory military service is deemed necessary; and to end all humiliating medical examinations to depict whether an individual is gay or not.
It is hoped that the prospect of membership talks between Turkey and EU will continue to have a positive impact on the struggles of Turkish LGBT people. Kaos GL along with Lambda Istanbul are hoping that during the membership talks, the demands of the Turkish LGBT people will be taken into account in order to spread the values of democracy to every Turkish citizen.
There are reasons to be both optimistic and pessimistic regarding the fate of Turkish LGBT people.
The LGBT movement in Turkey is still in its early stages. However one can easily notice that the Turkish LGBT movement is becoming more vocal and active. Especially since the 1990s, the momentum has been steadily increasing.
In 2005 there are two very active and vocal Turkish LGBT organizations: Lambda Istanbul in Istanbul and Kaos GL in Ankara. There are also smaller LGBT groups established all over Turkey. For instance on March 2006 Rainbow Solidarity and Cultural Association became the second legally registered LGBT organization in Turkey after Kaos GL’s establishment.
Kaos GL
Founded in the capital of Turkey, Kaos GL has been one of the pioneer LGBT groups in Turkey since the early 1990s. Kaos GL (with the support of Lambda Istanbul) has been very active during the preparation of the new Turkish Penal Law in 2004. For the first time in the Turkish Republic’s history, a group of LGBT activists were present in the Parliament demanding their rights.
Kaos GL’s other contribution to the Turkish LGBT movement is the magazine it has published since 1994. In November 1999, when it received a warning from the Security Department Press Office, Kaos GL Magazine registered as a legal publication and has been published, as such, since December 1999. Kaos GL gained legal NGO (non-governmental organization) status in July 2005, becoming the first legally registered LGBT organization in Turkey.
Lambda Istanbul
Established in Istanbul, Lambda Istanbul has achieved many successes regarding the concerns of Turkish LGBT people. Lambda Istanbul organized many events to bring attention to the problems of the LGBT community. In June 2003, Lambda Istanbul celebrated its tenth Gay Pride week and the anniversary of its establishment. At that occasion, for the first time in Turkey’s history, about 50 gays and lesbians marched in a public demonstration down Istiklal Street in Istanbul, and issued a press statement at the end of the parade. Since then, members of Lambda Istanbul have marched outside, every year, with an increasing number of participants.
Problems of the LGBT Community
Of course there is also a negative side to this story. Although it is legal in Turkey to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, discrimination and persecution are also prevalent. It is too early to be optimistic about the future when it comes to LGBT rights.
There is still massive discrimination in both the public and private sector. It is very difficult for someone to press charges when he/she faces discrimination based on sexual orientation; Turkish laws do not recognize crimes of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Transgenders, who are often the most visible part of the LGBT community, continue to face discrimination and physical harassment by society. Just like gays and lesbians, they have little legal recourse. Although security forces have been very harsh to transgenders in the past, with the considerations regarding human rights by the European Union (EU) and the Turkish public, the situation is slowly improving.
European Union
Kaos GL is hoping that EU legislation will press Turkey for legislative and policy-related changes on issues of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Despite these difficulties, the prospect of EU membership has had a tremendously positive impact to the daily lives of all Turkish people including the LGBT community. It is essential to remember that Turkey is the only country with a Muslim majority that provides hope when it comes to LGBT rights. In a report prepared by Kaos GL previously, it was found that there are only six Muslim countries in which being a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender is legal and these countries are: Turkey, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. It is no coincidence that of these Turkey, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Azerbaijan have strong ties with the rest of European community.
Kaos GL urges the Turkish government and EU officials to take the necessary actions to:
- Amend the Turkish Penal Code in order to ban and criminalize discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
- Amend the Turkish Penal Code in order to remove the article penalizing consensual sexual relations between young people of 15 to 18 years of age.
- Amend the “obscenity” article in the Turkish Penal Code by clearly defining what constitutes “obscenity”.
- Revise its laws and eliminate vague terms such as “exhibitionism,” and “offenses against public morality,” which lead to subjective interpretation and can be used to harass and persecute people (especially transgenders) based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
- Develop programs for transgender people which will open employment possibilities outside the sex work trade and will help to ease the discrimination they are facing.
- Ease the restrictive requirements for sex reassignment surgery (the Turkish Civil Code allows sex reassignment surgery since 1988).
- Change military policy to admit homosexuals into the armed forces; allow conscientious objection, if a compulsory military service is deemed necessary; and to end all humiliating medical examinations to depict whether an individual is gay or not.
It is hoped that the prospect of membership talks between Turkey and EU will continue to have a positive impact on the struggles of Turkish LGBT people. Kaos GL along with Lambda Istanbul are hoping that during the membership talks, the demands of the Turkish LGBT people will be taken into account in order to spread the values of democracy to every Turkish citizen.