14/04/2023 | Writer: Selma Koçak
Esmeray, a trans woman activist and a performer, who is nominated as a parliamentary candidate by Workers’ Party of Turkey, for the 3rd place in the İstanbul 2nd electoral district, gathered with Kaos GL and May 17 associations within the scope of election campaign.
Alliances and political parties submitted their parliamentary candidate lists to Supreme Electoral Council, in the previous days. Trans activist and performer Esmeray was one of the candidates nominated by Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP), which announced its candidates with a meeting held in Lütfi Kırdar International Convention and Exhibition Center on April 9. Trans woman Niler Albayrak and activist Talya Aydın were also nominated as parliamentary candidates by TİP.
Esmeray, who gave a start to her election campaign, visited Kaos GL and May 17 associations on April 11. The election process was discussed during Esmeray’s visit made in company with her advisors.
Esmeray talked about the symbolic importance of conducting an election campaign against the current Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu, known for his anti-LGBTI+ rhetoric and who is also the parliamentary candidate of Justice Development Party in the İstanbul 2nd electoral district, in the meeting. She also emphasized trans women exiled from Ülker Street in 1996 with the cooperation of police and grey wolves and she mentioned dormer police chief Süleyman Ulusoy, who was also known as Süleyman the Hose, the organizer of this spiral-of violence. Esmeray also underlined that she has been making effort to reach LGBTI community and to bring their needs and demands to the parliament, and she would continue to work for it.
Tags: human rights, women, arts and culture
