STRUGGLES

LGBT struggles in BAKUR
In Turkey's general election in June
and November 2015, the People's
Democratic Party (HDP) gained seats
in the Turkish parliament. This is the
first time ever that a party that
supports Kurdish autonomy has
passed the 10% threshold required to
gain any seats. The HDP has been
speaking out in support oflesbian,
gay, bisexual and transgender
(LGBT) people. The party has a 10 per
cent quota for LGBT people when
fielding candidates.
We ask ifthe situation for LGBT
people in Bakur has changed because
ofthis. Serdar replies:
“It’s difficult. LGBT communities in
Turkey and Kurdistan have to be secret.
They would only tell close friends about
their sexuality. In cities it’s a little less
bad but we are still really oppressed by
our families. Roşın Çıçek, a gay man, was
murdered by his family in Amed in 2012.
Things are changing but really slowly
because the religious people here are
really closed minded about LGBT people.
The Kurdish movement has to do a lot of
work about these things. Members ofthe
HDP need to educate themselves and then
teach other people. It’s really brave that
LGBT people are in the HDP. Their words
are brave but they need to be more than
words.
There has been an LGBT group in Amed
for the last three years and we are
working in the Amed Ecological Council
and in the conscientious objectors
movement, as many LGBT people are
conscientious objectors. We also monitor
cases where LGBT people are killed or
violence has been committed against
them. We are starting to be more visible.
We have started to go with our LGBT flag
to both the 1st May and Newroz
celebrations.”
According to Barış, who is from
Antakya: "We saw that there was an
LGBT movement in Amed, so Arabic
Alevis formed one in Antakya too. We
support each other.”
To find out more about LGBTI
movements in Turkey, go to
lgbtinewsturkey.com
The site has a list ofLGBTI
organisations in Turkey and some in
Bakur.
voices from the struggles for freedom in bakur
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