09/11/2023 | Writer: Ali Erol
Thirty per cent of respondents agree with “providing legal status to various sexual orientations”, according to the “Perception of Religiosity in Turkey” survey. Those who “refused to answer” were 9.6 per cent.
The report titled “Perception of Religiosity in Turkey” prepared by Ankara Institute as a part of the new research series entitled “Turkey at the Crossroads”, revealed that thirty per cent of the public advocates “equal treatment” for “various sexual orientations”.
The report “Perception of Religiosity in Turkey”, the third study of the project titled “Turkey at the Crossroads”, conducted by the Ankara Institute in partnership with the Istanbul Policy Centre, has been published.
The study, which aims to provide data to understand changes and transformations in society’s understanding of religion and its tendencies towards religiosity, “confirms that religion is still the most important element of belonging” in forming “identity” in Turkey, however also reveals that “traditional forms of religiosity have been replaced by more individualistic forms of spirituality”: “Although the Muslim identity is still very dominant, the increase in the number of atheists and deists in the population is quite remarkable, even if it is relative.”
The results were interpreted by the Institute as “the percentage of those who agree with the statement ‘I think it is right to give legal status to different sexual orientations’ is surprisingly high in Turkey.”
Legal recognition of different sexual orientations is an important issue for LGBTQ+ individuals and communities. Legal recognition of marriage and relationships has a direct impact on issues such as adoption rights, employment and access to health services.
In Turkey, homosexuality and the visibility and legality of different sexual orientations are still taboo and difficult to discuss. In the early days of 2023, the legal status of different sexual orientations was put back on the agenda with discussions about the fact that the Justice and Development Party (AKP) was preparing a proposal to amend the constitutional article redefining the family as consisting of a man and a woman.”
30-35 per cent of public opinion is in favor of equality for LGBTI+ people
The results of the survey conducted by the Ankara Institute and the Istanbul Policy Centre, which reveal that 30 per cent of respondents are of the opinion that “all people, regardless of their sexual orientation, should be treated equally and have the same rights and protection under the law”, are in line with the findings of previous public opinion polls.
According to the findings of the research titled “The Perception of Gender and Women” carried out by Kadir Has University in 2016, 33,4 of the participants had agreed the expression saying “gay, lesbian and trans individuals should have equal rights”.
According to the findings of the “Turkey Trend 2019” research conducted by Kadir Has University, “homosexuals” were once again the least preferred neighbours in the question on preferred neighbourhood according to social identities, however the percentage of those who did not prefer “homosexual” neighbours fell from 55.3 in 2018 to 46.5 in 2019.
According to the research titled “Gender Perception in Turkey” conducted by İstanbul Sabahattin University (İZÜ) affiliated to Foundation for the Advancement of Science, it was revealed that “youth” group had a “very highly positive” attitude towards “LGBT”.
Within the scope of the research conducted by İZÜ, in cooperation with the Istanbul Family Foundation, researches comments on the answers to the question “What comes to your mind when you think of LGBT?”:“In the youth group, at around 35 per cent, we found a very high rate of positive attitudes.”
Thus, the rate of “around 35 percent” of positive attitudes of young people towards “LGBT” found by the Foundation for the Advancement of Science University confirmed the rates of 33.4 percent in 2016 and 36 percent in 2020 found by Kadir Has University regarding those who agree that “LGBTs should have equal rights” and the results of the survey conducted by KONDA regarding the increasing rates of “understanding and respect for different sexual orientations”. Finally, with the overall rate reached by the Ankara Institute’s research results, it has been revealed once again that 30 percent of society has not given up defending the right to equality of LGBTI+ people.
Despite the systematic hate politics in Turkey, especially in the last decade, and the hate mongering of so many government organized non-governmental organizations holding anti-LGBTI+ rallies with all kinds of government support, it is clear that the rate of public demand for rights, justice and freedom for all cannot be reduced below 30 per cent.
Translated by: Selma Koçak
Tags: human rights, life
