14/05/2025 | Writer: Kaos GL
According to the research conducted by Kaos GL and 17 May Association, "LGBTI+ visibility" was perceived as the least threatening issue, whereas the lack of enforcement of anti-corruption laws and restrictions on press freedom were identified as the biggest threats.
The report of the “Perception Survey on LGBTI+’s” conducted by Kaos GL and 17 May Associations was published in two languages: Turkish and English.
This research is the first of its kind, as no previous public opinion study reflecting a Turkey-wide sample had been conducted to measure attitudes and perceptions towards LGBTI+ people. With the participation of 1500 individuals, the results of this study offer a broad picture of public perceptions of LGBTI+ people in Turkey.
LGBTI+ visibility was perceived as the least threatening issue, with 10%
According to the report, in the evaluation of threat perceptions, “LGBTI+ visibility” was perceived as the least threatening issue with a rate of 10%. In contrast, the failure to enforce anti-corruption laws effectively, restrictions on press freedom, and “foreign powers disturbed by Turkey’s development” were expressed as the biggest threats by participants:
“This finding indicates that LGBTI+ people are not perceived as a threat, and broader social and political issues are the primary sources of concern.”
80% of residents in Turkey face discrimination due to their identities
According to the results, 80% of participants stated that individuals face discrimination because of their identities. The largest group, at 62.1%, reported being discriminated against due to political views, followed by 46.9% citing social class differences. Gender/gender identity was indicated as a cause of discrimination at 27.5%, and sexual orientation and gender identity at 17.9%:
“This reveals that social discrimination has a multidimensional structure, shaped by differences between identities.”
Groups least protected by the government: Women and LGBTI+ people
Participants were asked how often they think the following groups face discrimination: “LGBTI+ people, Women, Refugees, Persons with disabilities, Alevis, Atheists, Non-Muslims, Kurds, Elderly people, Youth, Roma people, Sex Workers, and People living with HIV.” Refugees were reported to face discrimination at a rate of 50%, followed by LGBTI+ people at 44.3%.
Moreover, participants stated that the groups least protected by the government are women and LGBTI+ people. 36.7% of participants said women are the least protected group by the government, followed by LGBTI+ people at 30.1%.
Participants were hesitant about more comprehensive rights for LGBTI+ people
According to the study, 38.8% of participants expressed support for LGBTI+ people living equally and freely. Similarly, 39.1% supported trans people accessing healthcare services for gender affirmation processes. However, support for rights such as marriage and adoption remained relatively low at 17%:
“These findings show that while part of society supports fundamental rights, there is hesitation regarding more comprehensive rights.”
Reasons for hesitating to express support for LGBTI+ people: Fear of exclusion and threat of violence
According to the report, those who knew an LGBTI+ person were more likely to acknowledge widespread discrimination. However, the main reasons cited for hesitating to express support openly were fear of social exclusion and the threat of violence.
Another theme of the study was “LGBTI+ people’s professional positions.” According to the results, LGBTI+ individuals were more accepted in roles such as actors, artists, and musicians, whereas acceptance was lower for more authoritative or public responsibility roles like ministers, presidents, or teachers.
Click here to access the research.
Tags: human rights
