26/03/2024 | Writer: Oğulcan Özgenç
The physician, who targeted the March 8th leaflet of the Health and Social Workers’ Trade Union, jumped down trade union’s representatives’ throat saying “You are promoting LGBT propaganda.”
Mehmet Şentürk, a physician at Okmeydanı Oral and Dental Health Hospital, directed derogatory remarks towards the March 8 leaflet distributed by the Health and Social Service Workers Union (SES). Amidst the ensuing discourse, Şentürk jumped down female physicians throat and accused them of promoting LGBTI+ and engaging in perverse propaganda.
SES Şişli Branch Women’s Secretary, Ebru Erdem, detailed the incident to KaosGL.org.
According to Erdem, the incident unfolded in a common rest area where two bulletin boards were located—one used for hanging brochures and the other for various purposes by multiple individuals, on Monday. Erdem clarified that these boards were not owned by the union. She recounted that Mehmet Şentürk vandalized both boards on Monday, accompanied by shouting and swearing.
Erdem further elucidated that Şentürk’s attack on the leaflet was witnessed and documented by individuals present in the break room. She noted that he denigrated SES by labeling them as LGBT and perverts. Additionally, Erdem reported that the union’s calendars were removed from the walls on Tuesday. Workplace representatives attempted to convene, with the most recent meeting occurring on March 25 in an elevator. However, Şentürk began shouting in the presence of patients and employees as soon as they initiated the conversation.
Mehmet Şentürk’s discriminatory remarks in the elevator were documented in the minutes kept by the workplace representatives of the union. According to the minutes, Şentürk uttered phrases such as “You are promoting LGBT, perversion”, "Do you know what LGBT is? It’s perversion!”, “From now on, you will not mention LGBT in my presence”, “I refuse to engage with those who promote perversion”, “There is no place for LGBT anywhere my children exist” and “You cannot promote LGBT propaganda to me in a state hospital”. Additionally, he directed his comments towards the female doctors who tried to talk with him.
SES Şişli Branch Women’s Secretary, Ebru Erdem, revealed that Şentürk’s discriminatory rhetoric hasn’t come to end yet.
The SES Şişli Branch announced: “Our legal team has taken action against this person, who primarily engages in hate speech.”
The SES Şişli Branch posted the following remarks on their social media platforms:
“We condemn Dentist Mehmet Şentürk, who smashed the board, made insults, threats and hate speeches and attempted to attack women in Okmeydanı Oral and Dental Health Hospital, where we are the authorized union, on the grounds of our March 8 declaration posted by a worker on his own board in the workplace.
Addressing our female dentist friend, he said ‘Do you know what LGBT is? Perversion! You cannot make propaganda in a state hospital! Traitor!’, shouted in the corridors, punched the elevator and committed a violent provocative action. Our legal unit has initiated the necessary procedures against this person, who aims to disrupt public order, social peace and labor peace, mainly targets hate speech, incites the public to hatred and hostility, and publicly provokes laborers to enmity and hatred against each other over differences in a way that may be dangerous for public order.”
“We insist on life and freedom!”
Following SES’s statement, reactions came from social media.
Social Policy, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Studies Association (SPoD), in its recent post, condemned the male violence directed towards women and LGBTI+s at Okmeydanı Oral and Dental Health Hospital. They expressed solidarity with the SES Women’s Assembly and their comrade who was subjected to violence, denouncing the attack. They reiterated their commitment to life and determination for freedom:
“We strongly denounce the acts of violence perpetrated against women and LGBTI+ individuals at Okmeydanı Oral and Dental Health Hospital. Our solidarity lies with the SES Women’s Assembly and our friend who faced this reprehensible attack. We insist on life life and freedom!”
Özgül Saki, İstanbul MP of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), pledged to monitor the situation closely, expressing opposition to the male violence targeting women and LGBTI+s at Okmeydanı Oral and Dental Health Hospital following the statement by SES Women’s Assembly. She affirmed their commitment to life and steadfastness for freedom.
And DEM Party İstanbul MP Kezban Konukçu affirmed, “We will resist male violence aimed at women and LGBTI+ individuals wherever it occurs, forging our path to a brighter future through solidarity.”
Translation: Selma Koçak
Tags: human rights, women, health
