Being gay is not easy in many parts of the wordl
Being gay is not easy in many parts of the wordl
Homosexuals and transsexuals, whose sexual preferences and identities are unjustly labeled as “sick” by vast majority of people, organize a demonstration in Taksim Square and a week of activities called “Trans and Proud Week”, against the oppression and violence they face, which, sometimes, ends up in severe beatings and killings. Such an event is organized for the first time in Turkey. EHP ( workforce movement party), LGBTT (civil society organization for lesbians gays bisexuals transsexuals and transvestites) and some other political parties and organizations support the activities. Representatives of EHP and LGBTT Hilmi Kaan and Demet Demir talked about the aims of the week and homosexuals and transsexuals struggle to live a normal life but it is denied because of the oppression and violence. They also answered our questions about their situations and how they are forced to pay some penalties and face violence against them if they are seen on the streets, and also work options and opportunities are very limited for them because of their sexual identities; therefore they are forced to work as sex workers.
Q; Why this trans and proud week is organized?
A; (HILMI KAAN) ; When we look at the recent years, we can see that transvestites and transsexuals are always oppressed and treated violently. They are also have to pay some penalties if they are seen on the streets. Last year, the number of hate murders in which transvestites and transsexuals were killed as a result of beating and violence has risen sharply.. These attacks on transvestites and transsexuals sometimes end up in deaths but the violent attackers and murderers do not get caught often. Even if they get caught they receive very light punishments. A month ago 5 transsexuals were taken to police custody in Ankara and were tortured all night. That is why we felt we had to do something to stop these things.
With the support of ten political parties and organizations, we organized separate Proud Week for transvestites and transsexuals. Our aim is to bring some awareness to those problems.
Q; Is it the first time to organize such a week in Turkey.
A; Yes. There are some examples around the world but in Turkey it is the first so this is really important.
Q; What kind of activities did you organize?
A; On 10 June it started with a press conference and in the evening we organized a street party. We then had public meetings and discussions on oppression, violence and right to live. In first discussion, young gay and lesbians and transsexuals talked about their experiences of violence and discrimination against them. In another discussion which is titled right to live, we talked about the working conditions, health issues, difficulties of being a sex worker, and the evictions from Tarlabasi, which was a governmental project, named “changing the face of the city”. On 13 June we organized a demonstration march in Taksim square.
Q; In Europe, transsexuals and transvestites are treated with more tolerance. In Turkey, people usually use violence against them. What is the reason for this, in your opinion?
A; There are many reasons for that but mainly, the family values and ethics are widely accepted as a norm. But we, homosexuals, come out and tell them that we do not follow the usual pattern people are taught proper since childhood. As a result we face violent reactions for our differences. In fact we can not say that all over the world this attitude is different. But still, the attitude against homosexuals and transsexuals vary according to the countries geographical positions, peoples’ cultures, socials conditions. In Turkey, because of the effect of the religion, traditions, education and nurturing the family values, we are seen unnatural, unaccepted and sinners. We deny those values. We don’t accept them. Although homosexuality is a reality of the humanity for thousands of years, it has never been openly talked and accepted identity. Now when we talk about it openly, it cause some reactions.
Q; Unlike most of the socialist parties in Turkey, you, as EHP, support the homosexuals and transsexuals movement. How did you come to this point?
A; Our political party consists of women’s, youth and students’ sub organizations as well. Those organizations are founded not for the social classes they belong to, but on the basis of age and generation. We are mainly organized on the question of relations between the oppressors and oppressed. Women’s organization identify itself in a struggle in capitalist and male dominated society. The reason for the youth organization is not their age but their struggle against gerontocracy ( power of old people).
Our party, EHP, has been founded in 2004 and when LGBTT has been found in 2008, they come to our party and they wanted to involve in activities such as to carry their banners in demonstrations. We told them that instead of carrying the banners, they should have organize themselves against the oppression. So LGBTT was founded within our party. While women are fighting against the oppressions of male dominated society, we struggle against the heterosexual values of the capitalist society. The homosexuals are oppressed mainly because of inequalities between the men and women. We are not considered either male or female by the establishment. We are in between. We are treated as if we gave up our masculinity and accepted the femininity. We fight against the male dominance as well as heterosexual values. The reason why we are in this party is because we know that we have to fight in many fronts. If we only fight for gay rights, we may gain some points. As an homosexual I may not be oppressed but in a factory where I work as a worker I get exploited. Without fighting against the capitalist system in every front, there is no point in fighting only for the gay right.
Q; How was the other organizations’ attitude against your party?.
A; It varies from one organization to the other. You could expect the left wing groups behave differently than the rest of the society. There are some groups which approach the problem very positively and they let us know that they support our movements. Political parties, other organizations and democratic civil society organizations will take part in the Trans week’s demonstrations. We are planning to arrange a meeting for all the left wing groups and others who wants to say something in the discussions. Meanwhile, there are still left wing groups who label the homosexuality as sickness.
Q; The minister for families and women rights, Selma Aliye Kavaf, took that kind of attitude. She described the identity of homosexuals and transsexuals as sickness. How do you think you will fight against those prejudices even the politicians have, as well as people.
A; (DEMET DEMIR). We answered her back already. We were the first to respond to her comments. As they represent a conservative ideology, this was an insult to us in order to gain some votes from the mass of the people. For her political interest and profit, she chose to attack us. Without hesitation, she labelled us. But she failed to see the main point. People, who listen to her, could be encouraged to kill the homosexuals and transsexuals as they are labeled sick. So her words encourage the murderers. One of our members were killed two weeks ago. Mrs Kavaf’s words are dangerous and we already appealed to the judicial authorities for this.
In order to fight against the prejudices which has lasted for thousands of years up to now, we mainly organize the week of Trans Proud. We would like the people to listen to us and make the judgment about ourselves, not by listening to other peoples’ prejudices.
Q; Do you think there is and improvement in LGBTT struggle?
A; Apart from the number of killings is rising, there some improvements as well. We open our branches and it seems that people are more tolerant compared to recent years. For example the other day in one of our activities people came and asked to be photographed together and told us that they support us which is really important. But I must say that official view of the government is getting worse. As they put up the penalties some of our members can not even go out to the streets. But of course we will fight against that also.
Q; What is your ultimate aim In LGBTT movement?
A; In some other countries, homosexuals and transsexuals have got more rights. We want those rights to be recognised for us as well. We would like to find jobs and work, without the fear of losing our jobs because of our sexual identity. Work opportunity does not exist even for the university graduates with sexual identities. So most of the transsexuals are forced to work as sex workers. We aim to change this and work as normal people. We want to end the threats to close our organizations. We want our identity and rights secured by the constitution. And basically we want to live like normal human beings.
Q; Why this trans and proud week is organized?
A; (HILMI KAAN) ; When we look at the recent years, we can see that transvestites and transsexuals are always oppressed and treated violently. They are also have to pay some penalties if they are seen on the streets. Last year, the number of hate murders in which transvestites and transsexuals were killed as a result of beating and violence has risen sharply.. These attacks on transvestites and transsexuals sometimes end up in deaths but the violent attackers and murderers do not get caught often. Even if they get caught they receive very light punishments. A month ago 5 transsexuals were taken to police custody in Ankara and were tortured all night. That is why we felt we had to do something to stop these things.
With the support of ten political parties and organizations, we organized separate Proud Week for transvestites and transsexuals. Our aim is to bring some awareness to those problems.
Q; Is it the first time to organize such a week in Turkey.
A; Yes. There are some examples around the world but in Turkey it is the first so this is really important.
Q; What kind of activities did you organize?
A; On 10 June it started with a press conference and in the evening we organized a street party. We then had public meetings and discussions on oppression, violence and right to live. In first discussion, young gay and lesbians and transsexuals talked about their experiences of violence and discrimination against them. In another discussion which is titled right to live, we talked about the working conditions, health issues, difficulties of being a sex worker, and the evictions from Tarlabasi, which was a governmental project, named “changing the face of the city”. On 13 June we organized a demonstration march in Taksim square.
Q; In Europe, transsexuals and transvestites are treated with more tolerance. In Turkey, people usually use violence against them. What is the reason for this, in your opinion?
A; There are many reasons for that but mainly, the family values and ethics are widely accepted as a norm. But we, homosexuals, come out and tell them that we do not follow the usual pattern people are taught proper since childhood. As a result we face violent reactions for our differences. In fact we can not say that all over the world this attitude is different. But still, the attitude against homosexuals and transsexuals vary according to the countries geographical positions, peoples’ cultures, socials conditions. In Turkey, because of the effect of the religion, traditions, education and nurturing the family values, we are seen unnatural, unaccepted and sinners. We deny those values. We don’t accept them. Although homosexuality is a reality of the humanity for thousands of years, it has never been openly talked and accepted identity. Now when we talk about it openly, it cause some reactions.
Q; Unlike most of the socialist parties in Turkey, you, as EHP, support the homosexuals and transsexuals movement. How did you come to this point?
A; Our political party consists of women’s, youth and students’ sub organizations as well. Those organizations are founded not for the social classes they belong to, but on the basis of age and generation. We are mainly organized on the question of relations between the oppressors and oppressed. Women’s organization identify itself in a struggle in capitalist and male dominated society. The reason for the youth organization is not their age but their struggle against gerontocracy ( power of old people).
Our party, EHP, has been founded in 2004 and when LGBTT has been found in 2008, they come to our party and they wanted to involve in activities such as to carry their banners in demonstrations. We told them that instead of carrying the banners, they should have organize themselves against the oppression. So LGBTT was founded within our party. While women are fighting against the oppressions of male dominated society, we struggle against the heterosexual values of the capitalist society. The homosexuals are oppressed mainly because of inequalities between the men and women. We are not considered either male or female by the establishment. We are in between. We are treated as if we gave up our masculinity and accepted the femininity. We fight against the male dominance as well as heterosexual values. The reason why we are in this party is because we know that we have to fight in many fronts. If we only fight for gay rights, we may gain some points. As an homosexual I may not be oppressed but in a factory where I work as a worker I get exploited. Without fighting against the capitalist system in every front, there is no point in fighting only for the gay right.
Q; How was the other organizations’ attitude against your party?.
A; It varies from one organization to the other. You could expect the left wing groups behave differently than the rest of the society. There are some groups which approach the problem very positively and they let us know that they support our movements. Political parties, other organizations and democratic civil society organizations will take part in the Trans week’s demonstrations. We are planning to arrange a meeting for all the left wing groups and others who wants to say something in the discussions. Meanwhile, there are still left wing groups who label the homosexuality as sickness.
Q; The minister for families and women rights, Selma Aliye Kavaf, took that kind of attitude. She described the identity of homosexuals and transsexuals as sickness. How do you think you will fight against those prejudices even the politicians have, as well as people.
A; (DEMET DEMIR). We answered her back already. We were the first to respond to her comments. As they represent a conservative ideology, this was an insult to us in order to gain some votes from the mass of the people. For her political interest and profit, she chose to attack us. Without hesitation, she labelled us. But she failed to see the main point. People, who listen to her, could be encouraged to kill the homosexuals and transsexuals as they are labeled sick. So her words encourage the murderers. One of our members were killed two weeks ago. Mrs Kavaf’s words are dangerous and we already appealed to the judicial authorities for this.
In order to fight against the prejudices which has lasted for thousands of years up to now, we mainly organize the week of Trans Proud. We would like the people to listen to us and make the judgment about ourselves, not by listening to other peoples’ prejudices.
Q; Do you think there is and improvement in LGBTT struggle?
A; Apart from the number of killings is rising, there some improvements as well. We open our branches and it seems that people are more tolerant compared to recent years. For example the other day in one of our activities people came and asked to be photographed together and told us that they support us which is really important. But I must say that official view of the government is getting worse. As they put up the penalties some of our members can not even go out to the streets. But of course we will fight against that also.
Q; What is your ultimate aim In LGBTT movement?
A; In some other countries, homosexuals and transsexuals have got more rights. We want those rights to be recognised for us as well. We would like to find jobs and work, without the fear of losing our jobs because of our sexual identity. Work opportunity does not exist even for the university graduates with sexual identities. So most of the transsexuals are forced to work as sex workers. We aim to change this and work as normal people. We want to end the threats to close our organizations. We want our identity and rights secured by the constitution. And basically we want to live like normal human beings.
