05/08/2024 | Writer: Yusuf Çelik
Ahmet, who was persuaded to go to military service by his family, told KaosGL.org about his experiences during his military service.
Drawing: Erinç Seymen
In Turkey, military service is compulsory for Turkish males between the ages of 20 and 41. However this compulsion brings along plenty of complex problems for LGBTI+ persons. Ahmet’s experiences clearly reveal the depth and systematic nature of these problems. Ahmet’s story indicates that the difficulties experienced by LGBTI+ persons in military service are not only limited to personal traumas but also are indicative of systematic discrimination.
Ahmet, who decided to join the military under societal and familial pressure, says that he had to hide his identity once he started his service. He describes his experiences during his military service as follows:
“I was bullied by my peers in the military, so I hid my identity in the following period. When I told my commanders about my sexual orientation, they said, ‘We will try to provide you with every opportunity we can’.”
However, Ahmet’s difficulties were not limited to this. He was referred to a psychiatrist, but the discrimination continued. The psychiatrist to whom he was referred told Ahmet, “There is a solution to these problems, we can treat them if you want.” Ahmet stated that he informed his superiors about his sexual orientation after joining his master’s unit and that he returned home on “sick leave”. After 20 days, Ahmet returned to his troop and describes what happened afterwards as follows:
“The report was drawn up on adjustment disorder. However, three commanders voted that I was fit for military service. Once again I made a request and emphasized that I could not stay there. The commander said, ‘If you want, we can provide a single room for you here’.”
“It was a troublesome two-month process”
Ahmet’s experience reveals how traumatic military service can be for LGBTI+ persons. Ahmet states that he was sent to the health board after telling his doctor that he was on the verge of suicide:
“I told my doctor that I couldn’t take it anymore and I was feeling suicidal. And I added that I would end my life if I was not sent away. Upon hearing these words, he said, ‘I will refer you to the health board’. At the board, they asked me, ‘I will report sexual identity and behavior disorder, do you accept this?’ Although I did not have a disorder, it was entered into the system this way.”
Internationally, there are many regulations on conscription and conscientious objection. The United Nations Commission on Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights recognize conscription as a violation of rights. While countries such as Denmark, Austria, and Spain recognize the right to conscientious objection, Turkey has a very strict stance on this issue. In Turkey, there is no right to conscientious objection for LGBTI+ persons who do not want to serve in the military; they have to prove that they are not eligible for military service.
Ahmet’s story best reflects the difficulties and discrimination experienced by LGBTI+ people during military service. He summarizes the challenges he faced before and during his military service as follows:
“My experience was a difficult two-month process. I wish I had never been in the army and never had to go through that.”
“Fact sheet on Exemption from Military Service” from Kaos GL and May 17
The “Fact sheet on Exemption from Military Service” prepared by Kaos GL and May 17 associations, aims to inform about the exemption process regarding the military service in Turkey. In the fact sheet includes the titles such as “How is Exemption from Military Service Regulated in the Legislation?”, “How will the Process Regarding LGBTI+’s Receiving a Report of Unfit for Military Service Work?”, “Important Information on the Process”, “Objection to the Reports Given by the Family Physician or the Health Board”.
The fact sheet includes the following statements:
“The relevant legislation regarding the process of exemption from military service is subject to frequent changes. These legislative amendments affect the criteria and procedures for obtaining a report of ‘Not Eligible for Military Service’. The procedure for LGBTI+ persons to obtain a ‘not eligible / unfit for military service’ report has evolved over time. Previously, individuals were subjected to script physical examinations, and photographic evidence was required to prove that they continued their lives as homosexuals. These conditions made it challenging to obtain an unfitness report. With recent legislative amendments, the script examination and photographic evidence practices have been abolished. The process now focuses more on assessments within the field of mental and nervous diseases. According to the legislation, being LGBTI+ is considered within the scope of mental and nervous disorders.”
Click to read the fact sheet in Turkish.
Tags: human rights, military
