LGBTs from Çukurova Condemned Homophobic Morals that Caused Suicide

Meanwhile Turkish Government further sharpens its separatist rhetoric and uncompromising behaviour regarding Gezi Park protests, a 22 year old gay man chose to say goodbye to his life.

LGBTs in Çukurova condemned the homophobic morals that caused another gay’s death, via press release. Within their statement, they said that they had been resisting against government regarding Gezi Park for more than two weeks in solidarity with the other groups; where they emphasise “the homophobic/transphobic murders” as well.

 

The press release was made by Çukurova LGBT Initiative in June 15, 2013, in order to reveal the persistent homophobic attitude of the family of a 22-year-old gay man, called Cenk.

 

Cenk committed suicide in June 13 because of family pressure and alienation.

 

While LGBT Initiative that talked to nearly 150 people who were mostly protesters of Adana Ataturk Park; they pointed the family as the indirect responsible of the death of Cenk. They also cursed the public moral that is dirtied by the blood of LGBT persons.

 

Çukurova LGBT Initiative urged all hate crimes to be stopped and the criminals of this crimes to be on trial. Besides, they enlightened the people at the resistance about being sensitive towards the homophobic/transphobic discourse.

 

The Initiative stated that this meaningless hate towards LGBTs is one of the hardest thresholds for ensuring social peace, by underlining the fact the real peace can be created only by the equality and the freedom of all individuals.

 

The volunteers of Çukurova LGBT Initiative, who carried badges with rainbows and a banner stating “Damn your moral that is dirtied with the blood of LGBTs!” extended their protests throughout the day.

 

As the lesbians, gays, bisexuals, travesties, and transsexuals in Turkey, we witness continuous violence and hate because of our sexual orientations or gender identities. This pressure we face due to sexual orientation or gender identities pushes us either to hide or to come out and fight for our lives. Sometimes because of the direct risk of being killed, sometimes because of the fear of losing our jobs, friends or families; we feel obligated to hide ourselves. This situation clearly eliminates our right to live and devastates our prides; on the other hand, having the courage to fight against this situation put us onto the thin line between staying alive and getting killed.

 

As known, in our country, people get killed almost every day just for being gay, lesbian, transvestite or transsexual. The daily newspapers are filled with the tragedy stories of these so-called marginal identities. However, there is another type of murder that is not written on these papers; social murder! Even though these murders are represented innocent suicides, the undeniable fact is that there is homophobic/transphobic hate at the core of them.

 

Although they seem to be more passive, the oppressive manner of the public on individuals and the policies of social exclusion and humiliation, are violent acts with a similar intensity. This manner has the potential to lead to indirect murders. Unfortunately one of those murders, once again, was committed two days ago. A friend of us, Cenk, whose sexual orientation was known by his family, had been exposed to homophobic speech of his parents and relatives for years, and he eventually had been forced to leave his home. This 22-year-old friend of us, who was even not allowed to see his own brother when he was under the intensive care due to being “FAGGOT”, had tried to hold on to life. But, in these days through which the government sharpened its uncompromising behaviour and the separatist rhetoric, maybe also because of this reason too, Cenk gave up on his life. He prepared his end with his own hands. Suicide, of course, is a personal choice; however, there are always some social factors that force an individual to make his choice. The most important factor that made our friend Cenk to choose to say goodbye to lies, is the pressure was clearly stated by his closest friends.

 

We, as the LGBT community of Adana and the protesters of Ataturk Park, condemn the family who felt ashamed of protecting their own child, due to their moral values that are dirtied with the blood of blood of their son. Since it is a suicide, we do not have the right to ask for a trial. Yet, we are aware that this is an indirect murder and the murderer is the homophobic/transphobic moral values that sneak between us like a wild monster under the mask of traditions, and create a tremendous problem for our social peace. These moral values are repeatedly created in our schools, work places and at the rostrums of the politics and they almost gain a holly meaning. We request this meaningless hate to stop immediately. We also ask for the defence for the victims of transphobic/homophobic violence and we desire all the criminals of hate crimes, including the ones committed against LGBT people, to be found and judged.

 

We also demand from the people who listen to us here today to cleanse themselves and the ones around them from this pointless hate and to be conscious about it. For us, it is very important for you to realize and act immediately against homophobic/transphobic t discourse that you might hear on  TV shows on a radio or during a conversation you have with your friends. Because around you, even if you do not know it, there might be a child who feels different and who feels lonely; or a teenager who gets sensitive and alienated; or an adult who is having difficulty to find a reason to stay alive. These words might be making wounds that are hard to heal. Please do not let people get wounded. 

We wish a peaceful rest for our friend Cenk; and we wish some conscience for his family and his relatives who are responsible for his death. We hope that this suicide will be the last hate tragedy to be experienced or to be declared.