19/04/2023 | Writer: Selma Koçak

Socialist feminist parliamentary candidate Özgül Saki said “We will tear down transphobia and homophobia in all areas of political struggle.”

Green Left Candidate Özgül Saki: We can change the parliament with the independent struggle of feminists and LGBTI+s Kaos GL - News Portal for LGBTI+

Özgül Saki, a parliamentary candidate from Green Left Party for the İstanbul 2nd electoral district, was a guest at the event organized by Social Policies, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Studies Association (SPoD) to introduce the LGBTI+ Rights Convention. Saki, one of the first signatories of the convention, announced her signature on social media:

“I am a signatory of the LGBTI+ Rights Convention. I believe that we can change privilege, hierarchical structure, which deepens inequalities, of the parliament with the independent political struggle of feminists and LGBTI+s, and I think that all the marbles we aim for, may only be possible through this struggle.”

Speaking at the event held in Postane on April 16, Sunday, Saki emphasized the independent political struggle and continued as follows:

“I think we have learned a lot from each other as the feminist movement and the LGBTI+ movement. Speaking for myself, I have learned a lot through all discussions. I hope to change the parliament together and tear down transphobia and homophobia in all areas of political struggle.”

Who is Özgül Saki?

She was born in Çaycuma, Zonguldak in 1967. She took place in student movements between 1985-90, while she was studying physics at METU. After graduation, she became a part of the class struggle within Eğit-Sen and Eğitim-Sen (Education and Science Laborers Union) as a teacher. She has been involved in the organized struggle for socialism with Kurtuluş (Liberation) movement and other legal parties adopting liberation convention since the beginning of 1990’s. In 2017, she went to Latin America, lived with the Zapatistas, and witnessed their struggle and life experiences. She lived in autonomous regions in Chiapas, Colombia and Brazil for about 1.5 years. She has been involved in Socialist Feminist Collective since 2010 with the feminist identity she acquired in political struggle. Meanwhile, she completed her master’s degree in philosophy. She took part in the litigation against male violence that feminists started to pursue a long time ago. She became a part of feminist struggle carried out against male violence and the male judiciary in the cases of women such as Yasemin Çakal and Hülya Halaçkay, who protected their lives, Jesca Nankabirwa, Violet and Beatrice Nantaba sisters, who were slaughtered as immigrant women, Fatma Altınmakas, whose murder was compounded. She got involved in platforms established against racism and organizations formed to be in solidarity with immigrant women. She has been taking part in organizing March 8 Feminist Night March and participating in solidarity with the LGBTI+ movement for many years, as an independent feminist. She continues her social struggle as Green Left Party İstanbul Second District MP candidate in the Presidential and 28th Term Parliamentary Elections, 2023.


Tags: human rights, women
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