17/02/2025 | Writer: Kaos GL
According to the Pride Month on Campuses 2024 Report prepared by ÜniKuir Association, violations of rights against LGBTI+ students and communities continued in different ways in 2024.
Photo: UniKuir, from the 12th METU Pride March
Pride Month on Campuses 2024 Report prepared by ÜniKuir Association has been published. The report records the events organised by LGBTI+ students at different universities in Turkey within the scope of Pride Month, the rights violations they face and what happened during this process.
The report sheds light on the struggle of LGBTI+ students for existence on campuses by analysing in detail the experiences, restrictions and oppression mechanisms of Pride Marches and Pride Month events at 14 different universities.
Rights violations continued in different ways
The report states that interventions against Pride Month events on campuses did not take the form of direct bans or police interventions in 2024, but violations of rights continued in different ways. According to the report; in 2024, Pride marches and events could not be announced with open calls, their locations were kept secret and rainbow flags could not be used freely.
In addition to this; the report emphasises that the pressure of university administrations continues. According to the report; university administrations did not recognise the official status of LGBTI+ student communities, did not grant event permits and prevented the use of materials with LGBTI+ content. In some universities, the rainbow colours on the logos of student societies were also forced to be removed.
The report draws attention to the continuation of hate speech and intimidation policies in universities throughout 2024. According to the report; LGBTI+ students were subjected to hate speech in Whatsapp groups and ‘confession pages’ on social media, and students' photos were taken by private security without permission at events.
Police intervention was replaced by intimidation policies
While explicit bans are replaced by implicit pressures and police intervention is replaced by intimidation policies, a section from the statements of LGBTI+ students who maintain solidarity and resistance in the report is as follows:
"There is domination of oppression, but it reminds us that we also exist. When we look at the lubunya archives that have been coming for years, it reminds us that the lubunya movement has always been here and will continue to be here. It reminds me that the issue is not what the crowd of the events is or is not, but that we need to remind that our existence will continue."
Tags: human rights, education
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