23/01/2012 | Writer: Nevin Öztop
Nevin Öztop, the editor-in-chief of Kaos GL Magazine spoke to Ezequiel Costa Brito from European Studies at University College London (UCL) on the current political situation and the agenda of LGBTs in the country.
Nevin Öztop, the editor-in-chief of Kaos GL Magazine spoke to Ezequiel Costa Brito from European Studies at University College London (UCL) on the current political situation and the agenda of LGBTs in the country.
Is the current Turkish government in favour of criminalizing discrimination or violence due to sexual orientation, therefore protecting gay people?
It has a short answer: No. We have seen several examples in the soon past that proved this.
During the Turkish Penal Code revisions/discussion in 2003-2004, LGBT movement and the feminist movement did advocacy for several terms to be taken out or not be used against LGBTs. Terms such as “general morality”, “Turkish family structure”, “unjust provocation” and obscenity. And nothing was accomplished in favor of LGBTs in the end.
And with the last draft of Anti-Discrimination Bill, “sexual identity” was taken out, which was among the grounds for protection from discrimination. The state made it very clear to us that they will not be protecting anybody from hate murders/crimes. It is quite terrifying when Turkey has the second highest number of hate murders in the world (around 30), after Brazil.
Has the government made any progress or effort in dealing with gay issues at schools?
Not at all. What is being taught at schools is very sexist and heteronormative. Also militarist and nationalist, which all perpetuate the ideology of the state.
There has even been recent “rumors” that the Ministry of Education is planning to tak out parts on violence against women in the school books of 8th graders. The state contradicted with this, but the feminist movement is not fully convinced. This is a recent development and we need to wait and see the real results of it.
Have the government done enough in dealing with police harassment of gay (LGBT) people?
Police is a tool for the state to keep its citizens under control. When it is a tool of punishment and discipline, it would be extraordinary to see the state stop its brutal approach to anybody who practices behaviors against what they call “public morality” no?
It is also no coincidence that the police is being called “Morality Police” in countries such as Lebanon and Egypt. Tools such as army, police, religions, health workers and law officials often can be used to control human sexuality and thinking.
What is the Turkish government position on civil partnerships and adoption rights for gay people? On your view, are there any prospects for the adoption of such laws in Turkey?
The former Minister herself and the ministry on women’s and family affairs as a whole did their best to carry the Turkish state’s position on this situation all the possible international meetings. I think it was in Vienna when the Minister, who got popular with her extremely scientific and equally homophobic statement “homosexuality is a disease and therefor it requires treatment”, made it very clear to European politicians/committee members that Turkey had no room for “alterative family forms they were talking about. And actually the article got unfortunately amended in accordance with that Minister’s “sensitivities”. This is the official and the practical stand of the state so far.
Are there policies in any area, which the government has adopted and which your organization deems beneficial to sexual minorities? Moreover, how does the Turkish authorities, especially the central government, treats your organisation?
Unfortunately often it is the state officials who spread hate speech and they have no idea how each word that comes out of their mouths can ruin someones live. But I should say it is a general hateful approach, and not only towards LGBTs. This includes Alevis, Kurds, Armenians, sometimes disabled. There is no prudent voice that moderates the problems of Turkey.
And lastly it was the vice president Bülent Arınç who referred to our organization as “GL Kaos” on TV and said something like “none should be on the side of these weird people. People such as GL Kaos will be doing these. There will be people like them in society. But we cannot accept it as if it is the belief of 72 million of people. May God give them mind and thought”. He said these words right after a protest in Istanbul. Thousands were protesting the new internet regulation, which is defined as internet censorship by academicians, journalists and human rights activists. And he started taking about Kaos GL all the sudden.
Perhaps your insight on the attitudes of the Turkish people towards homosexuality will also be valuable.
Well, homophobia lies deep in the culture, religion and state structure. And the people are very effected by all these three. We believe without tapping onto natiolism and militarism, it will be impossible to delete homophobia/transphobia and sexism from the surface of the earth. The society tries to limit –block, if possible- the contact with LGBTs and there are so many reasons and fears running in the deep. So we try to approach, rather than focusing too much on how big the homophpbia is in society.
Tags: life
