22/11/2013 | Writer: Kaos GL
SPoD and LGBT Platform for Political Representation and Participation representatives met Republican People’s Party (CHP), the main opposition party in Turkey, on Tuesday.
SPoD (Social Policies, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Studies Association) and LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans) Platform for Political Representation and Participation representatives met Republican People’s Party (CHP), the main opposition party in Turkey, on Tuesday.
CHP Leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, CHP Vice President Gürsel Tekin and CHP İstanbul Deputy Melda Onur listened to the problems of LGBT people and discussed how LGBTs can actively participate in politics, especially during the local elections to be held in March, 2014. LGBT representatives Sedef Çakmak, Boysan Yakar, Sezen Yalçın and Deniz Şapka underlined that visibility and legitimacy LGBT people gained during the Gezi Park protests would create a pressure on public opinion.
Atatürk’s Party Opening Up for LGBT People
CHP Leader Kılıçdaroğlu commented that they follow the LGBT movement in Turkey and offered his party’s support to LGBT candidates as long as “they are protecting the core values of CHP and social democracy.”
CHP Vice President Tekin mentioned that LGBT people’s right to live, right to work and freedom of expression are covered in the CHP’s recent report “The Other Turkey: Labour and Violence”. Tekin has also said that he would support LGBT candidates in the local elections.
Tags: life