27/05/2025 | Writer: Kaos GL
In his half-hour speech, Erdoğan repeatedly targeted LGBTI+ individuals. By declaring 2026-2035 as the “Decade of Family and Population,” he called for cooperation in promoting anti-LGBTI+ hostility.
Following the declaration of 2025 as the “Year of the Family,” the Ministry of Family and Social Services organized the International Family Forum under the theme “Protecting and Strengthening the Family in a Globalizing World.”
At the forum, which began on May 22, President and AKP Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also delivered a speech on May 23. In his half-hour address, Erdoğan spent nearly the entire time targeting LGBTI+ individuals. He declared the 2026-2035 period as the “Decade of Family and Population.”
Claiming that the role of the family is irreplaceable, Erdoğan stated:
“The family is one of the most important institutions in human history and for humanity itself. In addition to being a sacred entity, the family is the fundamental building block of society. The family is so vital, valuable, and sacred that it cannot be replaced, no other institution, relationship, or bond can take its place.
Any society in which the family collapses, disintegrates, or is worn down is doomed to decay, corruption, collapse, and ultimately disappear. Resisting every threat and attack directed at the family, and exalting and strengthening the institution of the family, is a duty for all of us, especially a fundamental one. That is why we say: To defend the family is to defend humanity.”
Targeting the LGBTI+ movement through themes of digitalization and globalization, Erdoğan added, “They are trying to hack the family,” and claimed, “In the name of individual freedoms and modernity, the moral values that have kept us standing for centuries are being undermined and devalued.”
Erdoğan equated LGBTI+ rights with child abuse
Saying that “the institution of the family is losing ground,” Erdoğan targeted LGBTI+ individuals using phrases like “degenderization” and “the LGBT scourge.” He equated LGBTI+ people with child abuse:
“Today, humanity is being tested by the most fundamental truths of its own existence. Human nature is under a globally organized siege. This ideological assault, which is labeled as freedom but is in essence a denial of creation itself, threatens not only the family but also women, children, and human dignity. We watch with alarm the extent to which the perversion known as LGBT has reached in countries that, for various reasons, have paved the way for it. This perversion, legitimized under the guise of respect for personal choices, has today turned into a tyranny that tolerates no differing opinion, a full-fledged fascism. Behind these impositions are not only some civil initiatives but also multinational corporations, certain international organizations, and prominent states. Artists, businesspeople, politicians, and scientists are being lynched, practically turned into the living dead, just for criticizing the scourge of LGBT.
Another painful truth is this: those who deny human nature through degenderization projects are also harming our innocent children by subjecting their bodies to irreversible medical interventions. We absolutely cannot stand by and watch this abuse.”
Erdoğan: “The fight against LGBT perversion is also a struggle for freedom…”
Claiming that they would “fight against” LGBTI+ individuals and that this was a struggle for freedom, Erdoğan expressed satisfaction with regulations that define the family as consisting of a “woman” and a “man:
“The fight against LGBT perversion is also a struggle for freedom, a struggle to save dignity and the future of humanity. I very positively welcome the increasing awareness on this issue around the world. I am especially pleased with the legal and constitutional regulations in various countries that define the family as the union between a woman and a man. We are aware of the attacks faced by leaders who have taken steps in this direction. But no matter the cost, we believe that a firm stance must be taken on this vital issue concerning the survival of humanity. Although our struggle faces support from opposition parties and some women’s organizations within our country, we will resolutely continue our fight against degenderization projects that clearly threaten our national fabric. We will not turn a blind eye to the normalization of this anomaly under the guise of freedom or personal choice.”
The 2026-2035 period was declared the “Decade of Family and Population”
In his speech, Erdoğan declared the 2026-2035 period as the “Decade of Family and Population” and called for cooperation:
“Family and population are not issues that can be confined to a single year. The global pressures on the institution of the family and the changes in our population structure can only be managed with a long-term vision and determined, holistic policies. We must develop lasting policies that not only focus on demographic indicators but also protect the family and human nature, preserve values, and ensure the continuity of society. For this reason, we declare the 2026-2035 period as the ‘Decade of Family and Population.’”
“The family is our most protected haven, our strongest fortress against global imperialism; it is insurmountable and indestructible. I sincerely believe that every guest and every brother/sister here shares these sensitivities. I invite you to cooperate in repelling every attempt aimed at the family and the concept of family.”
Tags: human rights, women, life, family
