28/02/2015 | Writer: Ömer Akpınar
Trans activist Niler Albayrak submitted her pre-candidacy for the main opposition party for the 2015 general elections in Turkey.
Trans activist Niler Albayrak submitted her pre-candidacy for the main opposition party for the 2015 general elections in Turkey.
During our interview, Albayrak said: “I became a member of the Human Rights Association’s Istanbul branch in 1987. My struggle started back in those days. I really wanted to fight for the oppressed, the marginalize, and especially LGBTIs.”
Albayrak became a pre-candidate for nomination with the Republican People’s Party (CHP) from Istanbul 3rd District for the 2015 general elections. She explains her reasons for nomination as: “I am especially familiar with the fact that trans sex workers are subjected to discrimination immensely. Hence I decided that the best place to fight against this was the parliament.”
“We established a great communication with the CHP Secretary General”
Although Albayrak was a candidate for the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party Avcilar Municipality Assembly Candidate for the local elections on March 30, 2014, she was not elected because the party did not pass the 10 percent election threshold. Albayrak, who decided to try her luck with the CHP, recounted the party’s approach towards her and her meeting with Gursel Tekin, the CHP’s Secretary General:
“We established a great communication during our meeting with Gursel Tekin. Our talks progressed well. CHP parliamentarians such as Veli Agbaba, Gursel Tekin, Binnaz Toprak, Aylin Nazliaka, and others are now declaring that LGBTIs should be represented in the parliament. But, of course, this is a personal thing. The CHP’s perspective in the 25th term seems to have improved in comparison to the previous terms. That is the impression I get.”
“Just because a parliamentarian is trans does not mean they will defend only trans rights!”
However, there are negative comments regarding her nomination:
“Reader feedback does include commentary against trans or gay parliament members. However, I think they have not yet learned what it means to be human. That is because they cannot understand that a trans parliamentarian will not focus solely on trans rights, or that a woman parliamentarian will not focus solely on women’s rights, or that a heterosexual parliamentarian will not focus solely on heterosexual rights.”
“I am not the first; I am the third trans candidate for nomination”
Albayrak, who started visiting LGBTI organizations and came by Kaos GL Association, said “We have to go to the associations, ask for help, and become members. Associations should always be in our lives, since they are official institutions.” Albayrak also corrected recent reports that she was the first trans candidate:
“Years ago, Demet Demir became one, then Oykü Ozen. I am the third candidate for nomination.”
“LGBTI candidates should be nominated for a suitable line-up to enter parliament”
Albayrak believes that she has a good chance of winning due to the increased visibility of LGBTIs and especially trans women following the 2014 local elections. And, of course, she underlines party support:
“LGBTI candidates should be nominated [by their party] for a suitable line-up that can enter parliament.”
“‘What was once a dream is now a reality’ means hatred for LGBTIs”
Albayrak criticized the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), reminding us of President Erdogan’s statement during a TV show in 2002 that “homosexuals, too, should be provided with legal security within the framework of their rights and freedoms”:
“AKP’s slogan of ‘what was once a dream is now a reality’ became discrimination, hatred, violence, and suicides for LGBTIs.”
“Hopefully we will succeed this time”
Albayrak is waiting for everyone’s support to have an out trans parliamentarian in the parliament:
“LGBTIs are an extremely oppressed and marginalized group in the Republic of Turkey. I hope we will succeed this time. I anticipate that the associations, all our colleagues, and heterosexual friends too will support us a lot. We will wait and see.”
Translation: LGBTI News Turkey
Tags: life
