The 12th Annual Pride Events in Istanbul
The 12th annual lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) pride events will take place in Istanbul between July 1 and July 3, 2005. All events are free of charge, with the exception of the party “Dance at BE Club”.
History of Pride Events in Turkey:
The Christopher Street Day Sexual Liberation Activities, a gay and lesbian pride conference in Istanbul originally scheduled for July 2-6, 1993, was banned at the last minute by the governor of Istanbul, apparently on the grounds that it would be contrary to Turkey's traditions and moral values and that it might disturb the peace. This was despite the fact that the Interior Ministry had previously provided the organizers approval to conduct the event. The governor allegedly sent his agents to many hotels in Istanbul, instructing them not to provide lodgings to the participants. The next day, Turkish authorities detained 28 foreign delegates. At the time of their arrest, most of the detainees were in transit to a press conference in protest of the ban. They were detained for over five hours, threatened with possible strip searches and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) tests, and deported on a Turkish airliner to Germany.
The most striking result of this event was the immediate establishment of Lambda Istanbul, which, to this day, remains one of the most active LGBT organizations in Turkey. Right after the Istanbul city government banned the conference, a group of gays and lesbians, formerly named "Gokkusagi" (Rainbow), renamed themselves “Lambda Istanbul”. The group’s first activity was to work with other organizations seeking to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. Working with Turkey’s AIDS Prevention Society, Lambda Istanbul prepared the first safe sex brochure that directly addressed gay men. Lambda Istanbul became a member of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) in 1993.
But things have changed since 1993. Now such repression would be almost inconceivable. With the prospect of European Union membership, Turkish LGBT organizations, such as Lambda Istanbul in Istanbul and Kaos GL in Ankara, have begun to benefit from relaxed censorship and a more open civil society. In 2001, Kaos GL participated in the May Day labor demonstrations in Ankara under its own banner and signs. This was the first time that Turkish homosexuals participated in a public forum. It also paved the way for Lambda Istanbul to join the May Day labor demonstrations in Istanbul in 2002 for the first time.
In June 2003, Lambda Istanbul celebrated its tenth Gay Pride week and the anniversary of its establishment. For the first time in Turkey’s history, about 50 gays and lesbians marched down Istiklal Street in Istanbul and issued a press statement at the end of the parade. The press statement pointed out that “The Right to Live Proud” is an indispensable part of Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The statement also indicated the problems Turkish gays and lesbians continue to face in their lives. Other events followed the parade, including the traditional pride party, the showing of the legendary movie “Stonewall”, a symposium and a poetry recital. Since 2003, Lambda Istanbul in Istanbul has been organizing Pride events every year.
Pride Events:
Friday, July 1, 2005
19:30 - Cocktail Reception
21:00 - Movie “My Mom Loves Women”
Saturday, July 2, 2005
11:00 – Picnic at Heybeliada Island
Sunday, July 3, 2005
15:00 - Pride March starting from Taksim Square
15:30 - Press Statement
16:00 – Slideshow about LGBT issues of Turkey in 2004
18:00 – Symposium “Homophobia at Turkish media”
20:00 – Party “Dance at BE Club” ProjectBE
All events will take place at Karakedi Cultural Center, except the picnic, rally, press statement and the party.
Contact Information:
Karakedi Cultural Center is located at Istiklal Caddesi, Buyukparmakkapi Sokak, No:8 K:4 Beyoglu, Istanbul.
Lambda Istanbul’s contact information:
Address: Istiklal Caddesi, Buyukparmakkapi Sokak, Halas Ap., No: 20/4, Kat:3 Beyoglu - Istanbul
Tel/Fax: 0212 245 70 68 (between 15:00 - 20:00)
Web site: http://www.lambdaistanbul.org/
E-mail: lambda@lambdaistanbul.org
History of Pride Events in Turkey:
The Christopher Street Day Sexual Liberation Activities, a gay and lesbian pride conference in Istanbul originally scheduled for July 2-6, 1993, was banned at the last minute by the governor of Istanbul, apparently on the grounds that it would be contrary to Turkey's traditions and moral values and that it might disturb the peace. This was despite the fact that the Interior Ministry had previously provided the organizers approval to conduct the event. The governor allegedly sent his agents to many hotels in Istanbul, instructing them not to provide lodgings to the participants. The next day, Turkish authorities detained 28 foreign delegates. At the time of their arrest, most of the detainees were in transit to a press conference in protest of the ban. They were detained for over five hours, threatened with possible strip searches and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) tests, and deported on a Turkish airliner to Germany.
The most striking result of this event was the immediate establishment of Lambda Istanbul, which, to this day, remains one of the most active LGBT organizations in Turkey. Right after the Istanbul city government banned the conference, a group of gays and lesbians, formerly named "Gokkusagi" (Rainbow), renamed themselves “Lambda Istanbul”. The group’s first activity was to work with other organizations seeking to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. Working with Turkey’s AIDS Prevention Society, Lambda Istanbul prepared the first safe sex brochure that directly addressed gay men. Lambda Istanbul became a member of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) in 1993.
But things have changed since 1993. Now such repression would be almost inconceivable. With the prospect of European Union membership, Turkish LGBT organizations, such as Lambda Istanbul in Istanbul and Kaos GL in Ankara, have begun to benefit from relaxed censorship and a more open civil society. In 2001, Kaos GL participated in the May Day labor demonstrations in Ankara under its own banner and signs. This was the first time that Turkish homosexuals participated in a public forum. It also paved the way for Lambda Istanbul to join the May Day labor demonstrations in Istanbul in 2002 for the first time.
In June 2003, Lambda Istanbul celebrated its tenth Gay Pride week and the anniversary of its establishment. For the first time in Turkey’s history, about 50 gays and lesbians marched down Istiklal Street in Istanbul and issued a press statement at the end of the parade. The press statement pointed out that “The Right to Live Proud” is an indispensable part of Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The statement also indicated the problems Turkish gays and lesbians continue to face in their lives. Other events followed the parade, including the traditional pride party, the showing of the legendary movie “Stonewall”, a symposium and a poetry recital. Since 2003, Lambda Istanbul in Istanbul has been organizing Pride events every year.
Pride Events:
Friday, July 1, 2005
19:30 - Cocktail Reception
21:00 - Movie “My Mom Loves Women”
Saturday, July 2, 2005
11:00 – Picnic at Heybeliada Island
Sunday, July 3, 2005
15:00 - Pride March starting from Taksim Square
15:30 - Press Statement
16:00 – Slideshow about LGBT issues of Turkey in 2004
18:00 – Symposium “Homophobia at Turkish media”
20:00 – Party “Dance at BE Club” ProjectBE
All events will take place at Karakedi Cultural Center, except the picnic, rally, press statement and the party.
Contact Information:
Karakedi Cultural Center is located at Istiklal Caddesi, Buyukparmakkapi Sokak, No:8 K:4 Beyoglu, Istanbul.
Lambda Istanbul’s contact information:
Address: Istiklal Caddesi, Buyukparmakkapi Sokak, Halas Ap., No: 20/4, Kat:3 Beyoglu - Istanbul
Tel/Fax: 0212 245 70 68 (between 15:00 - 20:00)
Web site: http://www.lambdaistanbul.org/
E-mail: lambda@lambdaistanbul.org
