27/06/2025 | Writer: Yıldız Tar
In the letter sent by the Ministry to the governorates, it instructed that hormone medications must not be prescribed under any circumstances to individuals under the age of 21 for the purpose of “changing gender.” The justification given was the Year of the Family.
The Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency of the Ministry of Health has imposed a minimum age limit of 21 on hormones used by trans individuals in gender affirmation processes, through a letter sent to the governorates of all 81 provinces.
Although the Civil Code sets the minimum age for undergoing gender-affirming surgery at 18, the Ministry restricted the use of testosterone-containing medications, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogs, and medications containing 2 mg or more of estrogen for individuals under 21, in a letter titled “Abuse of Sex Hormone Medications.”
The Ministry instructed governorates that “these medications must not be prescribed or reported under any circumstances for the purpose of gender transition.”
The restriction targets trans people
In the letter dated June 25, it was stated that these medications may currently be prescribed for diagnoses such as cancer, infertility, precocious puberty, endometriosis, post-menopause, and uterine fibroids; however, they must not be prescribed to individuals under the age of 21 experiencing gender dysphoria.
The Ministry’s justification: Year of the Family
In its directive, the Ministry cited the Year of the Family as the reason for the restriction. Referring to Article 41 of the Constitution, titled “Protection of the Family and Children's Rights,” the Ministry framed trans people's access to hormones as a “threat to cultural and moral values,” thereby targeting them.
The letter included the following statement:
"The Presidency has declared 2025 as the ‘Year of the Family.’ In order to eliminate emerging threats to the structure of a healthy society and to our cultural and moral values, our Institution has deemed it necessary to take preventive measures."
Access to hormones was already restricted
Access to hormones for trans people was restricted last year on November 20, the Transgender Day of Remembrance. The Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency had introduced an e-prescription requirement for some of the hormone replacement therapy medications used by trans individuals in their gender affirmation processes.
The draft anti-LGBTI+ bill has not come to the Parliament’s agenda, but restrictions have already started in practice
The age 21 restriction was also included in the draft bill on amendments to the Turkish Penal Code and some other laws, which KaosGL.org accessed in February. The draft bill was prepared by the Ministry of Justice based on the 4th Judicial Reform Strategy Document announced by AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on January 23, 2025.
The draft, which has not yet come to the Parliament’s agenda, proposed changing Article 40 of the Turkish Civil Code, titled “Gender Change,” to raise the minimum age to begin the gender affirmation process from 18 to 21.
One of the articles proposed to be amended in the bill was Article 225 of the Turkish Penal Code, titled “Indecent Acts.” If the draft becomes law, the term “biological sex” will be added to the Penal Code. LGBTI+ expressions will be classified as “indecency,” and making these expressions visible will be punishable.
Although the draft has not yet come to the Parliament’s agenda, the Ministry of Health has taken action by restricting access to hormones for those under 21.
CLICK-LGBTI+'s are targeted with amendments to the Civil Code and Penal Code
Tags: human rights, life, family, health
