Campaign for LGBTI+s' political participation: ‘Turkey is ready for this'

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

In the face most commonly used argument of "Turkey is not ready for this," the Social Policy, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Studies Association (SPoD) has launched a campaign for LGBTI+s' political representation and participation, saying, "Turkey is ready for this".

The SPoD has said, "It is high time to eliminate this perception. Because society is us. We are your colleagues in the workplace, your relatives in your family, your deskmate at school, a stranger on the street and a shopkeeper in the neighborhood. We are the people whom you have fun together with at night and see on TV. If we are ready, Turkey is ready!"

In their statement announcing the campaign, the Association has recalled that the most common argument brought against the LGBTI+ movement's political representation and participation processes in Turkey for over 30 years has been "Turkey is not ready for this."

"LGBTI+ citizens demands for equality have been disregarded by saying, 'Society is not ready for this," the SPoD has protested, underlining that "according to some people's allegations, Turkey has never become ready for LGBTI+s." It has said, "But we know that this is an artificial narrative fabricated to hide the fact that LGBTI+s are a part of the society."

Underlining that LGBTI+s do not accept the argument of 'Turkey is not ready for this'," the SPoD has announced that with its campaign titled 'Turkey is Ready for This', it will discuss the requests for a constitutional process incorporating LGBTI+s and work to strengthen the processes of LGBTI+s to participate in politics in the upcoming elections.

The Association will also "discuss LGBTI+' requests for equal citizenship on a peaceful, non-violent, inclusionary, intersectional political ground so that Turkey's politics will be freed from male-dominated, populaist, polarizing, anti-democratic narratives that are getting increasingly prevalent."

The SPoD has said, "We know that the society of Turkey is ready to discuss our demands, identities and existence and to take the necessary steps as much as we do. We will keep raising our voices for clean politics and an LGBTI+inclusive constitution with the power of peace and democracy in the face of those condemning us to precarity, poverty, violence, discrimination."

Concluding the statement, the Association has said, "We are stronger and more real than the political power holders' policies of criminalization against us and various political parties' and politicians' 'shy' or covert support. We, in all walks of life of Turkey's peoples, have been existing for decades and we still exist. Turkey is none other than ourselves. Turkey is ready for LGBTI+s. Turkey is ready for this". (EMK/SD)