Homophobia in Republic of Turkiye
Despite the restrictions and violence, LGBTI people and their allies across Türkiye are preparing to celebrate Pride and march peacefully against discrimination. In Turkey, LGBTI+ events and queer people’s right to assembly face increasing restrictions. As the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic approaches, Turkey is turning into a social laboratory where political homophobia is transformed into state policy. The recent election exposed clearly the government’s broader negative campaign aimed at suppressing and marginalising the LGBTI+ community. AKP’s political homophobia is not new. However, during the election period, it elevated homophobia to extreme levels, and turned it into a populist propaganda tool.
AKP designated 'LGBT' a security threat to the nation, culture and family. It deemed homosexuality 'perverted', and antithetical to Islam. It also used support for LGBT rights as a smear tool to defame opposition politicians and frame them as 'the enemy'.
In its latest election campaign, AKP designated 'LGBT' a security threat, and deemed homosexuality antithetical to Islam.
'14 May will be a day to teach a lesson to those who support LGBT', pledged President Erdoğan at an election rally in Gaziantep. He repeated this many times throughout his election campaign.
AKP accuses opposition parties of being 'LGBT supporters' and therefore against the 'Turkish' family structure. However, except for the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP), no opposition party pledged manifesto support for LGBTI+ rights. Moreover, to secure votes from Islamist fundamentalists, AKP forged new political coalitions with right-wing extremist parties that promised to shut down all LGBTI+ associations in the post-election period. During its new term, AKP is expected to expand its political homophobia into the legal realm. It will do this through constitutional designs that consolidate the regime’s commitment to protect the traditional family structure against the threat of 'corrupt gender ideology'.
AKP’s proposed constitutional amendment will likely be turned into a referendum in conjunction with the 2024 local elections. This will prepare the ground for shutting down all LGBTI+ associations by declaring them 'unconstitutional'.
It seems that AKP’s new term will be characterised by unprecedented rule-of-law backsliding. This will allow the government to translate its political homophobia into official state policy.
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