Sexual Orientation and the Constitution: Preparation of a New Constitution in the Republic of Turkey
September 24, 2007
As Kaos GL Association, we ask you to make a call and remind the President, the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly, the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Foreign Affairs to add the concepts of “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the new Constitution’s article regulating “equality” in order to stop the discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.
You can find contact informations at the end of the page. And it would be very nice if you forward the copies of mails or faxes to Kaos GL which you made a call.
LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSVESTITE, TRANSSEXUAL (LGBTT) REALITY IN TURKEY SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED:
THE CONCEPT OF “SEXUAL ORIENTATION” SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE ARTICLE REGULATING “EQUALITY” IN THE CONSTITUTION
After the elections on 22 July 2007 in Turkey, the new government has started to prepare a new Constitution naming it “Civil Society Based Constitution” in order to emphasize that it will replace Turkey’s current Constitution which was written by the military rule in 1982. The draft Constitution will be made public in coming days.
As Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Research and Solidarity Association (Kaos GL), we know the scope and preparation process of the new Constitution as much as they are shared with the society.
The Justice and Development Party (AKP) Government Spokesman Cemil Çiçek states that they are preparing a new Constitution which represents the whole society. He also states that they expect contribution of the whole society before the draft Constitution will be submitted to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. But, as Kaos GL Association, we see that LGBTT individuals are ignored, although it is said that a modern and democratic Constitution representing the whole society in Turkey will be prepared.
The current Constitution of Turkey does not recognize the LGBTT reality in Turkey. We, LGBTT individuals in Turkey, have been trying to use our freedom of expression for 15 years in order to stop the discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. We have demanded “A Reference to ‘Sexual Orientation’ in the Constitution’s 10th Article Regulating Equality!”
Homosexuality is not defined as a crime in the current Constitution. However, it is also not referred in it! So, in practice, this situation deprives LGBTT individuals of legal protection. In other words, just because of their sexual orientation and gender identity, LGBTT individuals face discrimination and oppression, are excluded in every aspect of life, cannot participate equally and cannot defend themselves.
We demand recognition of the LGBTT reality in Turkey by referring to “sexual orientation”, a concept which consists of two words, in the Constitution. We want to state that we do not demand a special treatment. Rather, the arrangement we want is a just demand which is based on “equality” and is against “discrimination”.
Increasing discrimination and violence directed at LGBTT individuals and deprivation of legal protection against this discrimination and violence make us worry.
LGBTT individuals are fired because of the discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation at workplace and face psychological and physical violence at private and public spheres just because of their sexual orientation. Transvestite and transsexual individuals are excluded in every aspect of life because of their gender identity. They face attacks towards their right to live.
When LGBTT individuals want to form a solidarity association, they are tried to be hindered by court cases opened on the basis of the article “it can not be formed an association contrary to the law and morals”. Although LGBTT individuals want to live in a free and democratic country like each citizen of the Republic of Turkey, they cannot find the courage to defend themselves legally because they see that their rights are not protected enough under current circumstances.
As Kaos GL Association, we demand that the new Constitution of the Republic of Turkey protects the rights of all citizens of the Republic of Turkey and includes the articles which prevent all discriminations.
We think that the new “Civil Society Based” Constitution’s article regulating “equality” should include the concepts of “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” in addition to “sex” which is the existing concept in the current Constitution.
Sincerely,
Kaos GL Association
Adresses that you can make a call:
President
Abdullah Gul
Fax: (+90) 312 427 13 30
E-mail: cumhurbaskanligi@tccb.gov.tr
The Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Fax: (+90) 312 417 04 76
E-mail: bimer@basbakanlik.gov.tr
The Speaker of the Grand National Assembly
Koksal Toptan
Fax: (+90) 312 420 51 65
E-mail: koksal.toptan@tbmm.gov.tr
The Minister of Justice
Mehmet Ali Sahin
Fax: (+90) 312 419 33 70
The Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ali Babacan
Fax: (+90) 312 287 88 11
Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Research and Solidarity Association
Address: Gazi Mustafa Kemal Bulvari, 29/12, Demirtepe / Kizilay – Ankara, Türkiye
Phone no: +90 312 230 0358 Fax no: +90 312 230 6277 E-mail: kaosgl@kaosgl.org
As Kaos GL Association, we ask you to make a call and remind the President, the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly, the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Foreign Affairs to add the concepts of “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the new Constitution’s article regulating “equality” in order to stop the discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.
You can find contact informations at the end of the page. And it would be very nice if you forward the copies of mails or faxes to Kaos GL which you made a call.
LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSVESTITE, TRANSSEXUAL (LGBTT) REALITY IN TURKEY SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED:
THE CONCEPT OF “SEXUAL ORIENTATION” SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE ARTICLE REGULATING “EQUALITY” IN THE CONSTITUTION
After the elections on 22 July 2007 in Turkey, the new government has started to prepare a new Constitution naming it “Civil Society Based Constitution” in order to emphasize that it will replace Turkey’s current Constitution which was written by the military rule in 1982. The draft Constitution will be made public in coming days.
As Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Research and Solidarity Association (Kaos GL), we know the scope and preparation process of the new Constitution as much as they are shared with the society.
The Justice and Development Party (AKP) Government Spokesman Cemil Çiçek states that they are preparing a new Constitution which represents the whole society. He also states that they expect contribution of the whole society before the draft Constitution will be submitted to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. But, as Kaos GL Association, we see that LGBTT individuals are ignored, although it is said that a modern and democratic Constitution representing the whole society in Turkey will be prepared.
The current Constitution of Turkey does not recognize the LGBTT reality in Turkey. We, LGBTT individuals in Turkey, have been trying to use our freedom of expression for 15 years in order to stop the discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. We have demanded “A Reference to ‘Sexual Orientation’ in the Constitution’s 10th Article Regulating Equality!”
Homosexuality is not defined as a crime in the current Constitution. However, it is also not referred in it! So, in practice, this situation deprives LGBTT individuals of legal protection. In other words, just because of their sexual orientation and gender identity, LGBTT individuals face discrimination and oppression, are excluded in every aspect of life, cannot participate equally and cannot defend themselves.
We demand recognition of the LGBTT reality in Turkey by referring to “sexual orientation”, a concept which consists of two words, in the Constitution. We want to state that we do not demand a special treatment. Rather, the arrangement we want is a just demand which is based on “equality” and is against “discrimination”.
Increasing discrimination and violence directed at LGBTT individuals and deprivation of legal protection against this discrimination and violence make us worry.
LGBTT individuals are fired because of the discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation at workplace and face psychological and physical violence at private and public spheres just because of their sexual orientation. Transvestite and transsexual individuals are excluded in every aspect of life because of their gender identity. They face attacks towards their right to live.
When LGBTT individuals want to form a solidarity association, they are tried to be hindered by court cases opened on the basis of the article “it can not be formed an association contrary to the law and morals”. Although LGBTT individuals want to live in a free and democratic country like each citizen of the Republic of Turkey, they cannot find the courage to defend themselves legally because they see that their rights are not protected enough under current circumstances.
As Kaos GL Association, we demand that the new Constitution of the Republic of Turkey protects the rights of all citizens of the Republic of Turkey and includes the articles which prevent all discriminations.
We think that the new “Civil Society Based” Constitution’s article regulating “equality” should include the concepts of “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” in addition to “sex” which is the existing concept in the current Constitution.
Sincerely,
Kaos GL Association
Adresses that you can make a call:
President
Abdullah Gul
Fax: (+90) 312 427 13 30
E-mail: cumhurbaskanligi@tccb.gov.tr
The Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Fax: (+90) 312 417 04 76
E-mail: bimer@basbakanlik.gov.tr
The Speaker of the Grand National Assembly
Koksal Toptan
Fax: (+90) 312 420 51 65
E-mail: koksal.toptan@tbmm.gov.tr
The Minister of Justice
Mehmet Ali Sahin
Fax: (+90) 312 419 33 70
The Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ali Babacan
Fax: (+90) 312 287 88 11
Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Research and Solidarity Association
Address: Gazi Mustafa Kemal Bulvari, 29/12, Demirtepe / Kizilay – Ankara, Türkiye
Phone no: +90 312 230 0358 Fax no: +90 312 230 6277 E-mail: kaosgl@kaosgl.org
