Women, LGBTI Friendly Free Gynecology Service in İstanbul’s Şişli

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Women and LGBTI friendly free gynecological examination service is provided in Şişli Municipality Kurtuluş Polyclinic in İstanbul on every Tuesday between the hours of 7-9 p.m.

Your doctor doesn’t ask questions that are none of his/her business like “are you married”, instead asks necessary questions like “do you have an active sex life” and receive only relevant information.

Trans women can have their required checks following gender transition operations without any worry of being subjected to a discrimination or can have their hormone tests and receive advice.

The refugee women can get examined without having to show documents like ID.

Tests such as smear test and all gynecological services are provided anonymously and free of charge in the polyclinic.

One doesn’t need to reside in Şişli to benefit from the service and no appointment is needed. 

What is gynecological violence?

Şişli Municipality Equality Unit employee Elif Avcı says that they might be the first municipality, which thinks and uses the concept of “gynecological violence”.

“When you go to a gynecologist and leave there with bad feelings, this is actually a gynecological violence. What a doctor has to do is to perform controls and answer your questions. However, women who have active sexual life and not married are frequently subjected to sexual violence in the state hospitals.

“For instance, our doctor never asks ‘Are you married’, instead asks ‘Do you have an active sexual life’. Gynecologists’ reducing sexual life to marriage is found disturbing by most of the women.

“In this polyclinic, we try to provide women friendly services with the help of our doctors and personnel”. (ÇT/TK)