LGBTQIA+ travelers are those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, plus queer or questioning, intersex or asexual individuals. It also includes those who identify beyond these commonly used sexualities and gender expressions. Everyone has the right to feel safe, so we’ve put together a quick guide to safety for LGBTQIA+ folks traveling in Turkey.
Turkey has a complex history when it comes to LGBTQ rights. On one hand, the country has made significant progress in legalizing homosexuality and allowing for gender transition. On the other hand, LGBTQ individuals still face discrimination and restrictions on expressing their identity. This article will provide an in-depth look at where Turkey stands on LGBTQ rights today.
A Brief History of LGBTQ Rights in Turkey
Homosexuality has been legal in Turkey since 1858 when the Ottoman Empire adopted a new penal code that no longer criminalized same-sex relations. However, LGBTQ individuals faced heavy stigma and pressure to stay closeted well into the late 20th century.
Turkey saw the beginning of LGBTQ organizing and activism in the 1990s Lambda Istanbul was founded in 1993 to advocate for LGBTQ rights, followed by Turkey’s first LGBTQ Pride march in Istanbul in 2003. Since then, Pride events have spread to other major cities like Ankara and Izmir. The number of participants has grown exponentially, with Istanbul Pride attracting 100,000 people by 2014
While these events faced backlash and occasional bans from government officials, they marked important milestones in the visibility and activism of Turkey’s LGBTQ community
The Current Legal Status of LGBTQ Rights
Today, homosexuality is fully legal in Turkey and has been since 1858. The age of consent is 18 regardless of sexual orientation. However, there are no laws that protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, education, housing, healthcare, and other areas.
Turkey does not recognize same-sex marriages, civil unions, or domestic partnerships. LGBTQ couples have no legal protections or rights. However, transgender individuals have been allowed to legally change their gender since 1988.
The military openly discriminates against homosexuals, barring them from service. Some have reported humiliation and harassment during draft examinations when their sexual orientation was revealed.
Ongoing Restrictions on LGBTQ Life and Expression
While homosexuality is legal, LGBTQ individuals face restrictions on fully expressing their identity in public life:
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LGBTQ Pride events have frequently faced last-minute bans in recent years, especially in Istanbul but also in other cities like Ankara and Izmir. Police have forcibly shut down banned Pride rallies and arrested participants.
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Ankara has banned all LGBTQ-related public events and discussions indefinitely since 2017. Police have violently ended student-led Pride events.
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The Turkish military explicitly prohibits LGBTQ members from serving and discharges soldiers found to be gay.
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No laws protect LGBTQ individuals from hate crimes or hate speech motivated by sexual orientation or gender identity.
Signs of Progress
Despite these challenges, some promising advances indicate a slow shift toward greater rights and societal acceptance:
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Courts have fined media outlets and public figures for anti-LGBTQ hate speech under the country’s civil code.
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In 2013, the Constitutional Reconciliation Commission agreed to provide constitutional protections against LGBTQ discrimination.
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Major political parties like the Republican People’s Party and the Peoples’ Democratic Party have advocated for expanded LGBTQ rights.
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Public opinion polls indicate steadily increasing support for equal rights and recognition among younger generations.
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The number and scale of Pride events point to growing visibility and social acceptance of the LGBTQ community, at least in major cities.
Looking Ahead
The trajectory of LGBTQ rights in Turkey remains complex and unfinished. While homosexuality has been legal for over 150 years, LGBTQ individuals continue to face discrimination, hate crimes, and restrictions on expression. However, the tireless activism of the LGBTQ community and allies has achieved hard-won progress. With younger generations expressing greater tolerance, Turkey may slowly move toward full equality and societal inclusion of LGBTQ individuals in the decades to come.
Solo travel and room sharing
If you are traveling solo on an Intrepid tour, you will share accommodation with a traveler of the same gender as per your passport information. If you don’t identify with the gender assigned on your passport, please let our friendly adventure consultants know at the time of booking and we’ll arrange the rooming accordingly. Most of our tours also have the option to pay for an individual room for travelers who do not wish to share.
Queer culture in Turkey
The queer scene in Turkey is small compared to more liberal countries in Europe, but big cities like Istanbul (specifically the Beyoğlu, Kadıköy and Beşiktaş neighborhoods), Izmir and Ankara have growing queer scenes with lively bars, clubs and galleries. That said, the venues can often be primarily oriented around cisgender gay men, and to a lesser extent, cisgender gay women.
For more detailed and up-to-date advice, we recommend visiting Equaldex or ILGA before you travel.
Life as an LGBTQ in Turkiye | The West Asia Post
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