Gülşen KOÇUK

DIYARBAKIR - Hebûn LGBTT Diyarbakir Initiative aims to organize LGBTT people in the region and raise their awareness,  and overcome the sexist perception in the society. One of the Hebûn activists, Öykü Sezer, pointed out that trans people have been raped and  murdered due to the honor killing, and they have been exposed to lynch attempts. She also added  “We encounter some problems since we are both Kurdish and LGBTT. We are imprisoned to our homes becuase of our gender identity. Our Facebook account was hacked. Our name is Kurdish. The name of the group who hacked our site is “Ayyıldız Timi”. This was a fascist attack.”

LGBTT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, Transvestite) as a term started to be used for gay community beginning from the early 1900s on. In one sense, it was an umbrella term embracing  the struggle for those people. First reflection of the movement in Turkey has been Lambdaistanbul which was founded  in Istanbul in 1993. Hebûn, name of the organization in eastern Turkey, was founded in 2007 in Diyarbakır under name of Piramit. After one and a half year, it changed its name in 2009 and started to use Hevjin as its name. Throughout  this period, they also published a journal with the same name. However, the journal did not last long. In 2011 the initiative continued its way picking up a new name, Hebûn. Diyarbakır LBGTT Hebûn Initiative works  for raising awareness and supporting LGBTT groups. It has a total number of 35 members, 5 of whom actively work. Hebûn as being against violation of rights of LGBTT people, aims to change the discriminative perception of the society towards different sexual orientation.    

“Our Right to Life is taken” 

One of the Diyarbakır LGBTT Hebûn Initiative activists Öykü Sezer has mentioned the problems of LGBTT people of the region. She says that LGBTT people‘s rights are being violated due to unconsciousnes  and in order to overcome all these problems they need to organise more effectively. Stating that they keep in touch with other Turkish LGBTT organizations, Sezer says,  “In theory we share the same concerns in organizational terms but when it comes to acting together in practice we fail. People promise but in case of action, we cannot make progress.” She also emphasizes the difficulty of living as an individual trans person in the region and continues to say that those people are raped and murdered in honor killings and exposed to lynching attempts.  Öykü said “We are imprisoned to our homes due to our gender identity, briefly our right to life is taken from us”. 

“Being Kurdish brings about double trouble”

Öykü also talks about their problems with the Police Department; “They arbitrarily  raid our homes, and denounced the buildings we live in saying, `travestites are living and prostituting here`” She claims that being a Kurdish LGBTT means double more trouble.  She says that their Kurdish LGBTT members were discriminated for their ethnic identity in the western parts of the country and for their sexual orientation in the east. We cannot posses both identities, Kurdish LGBTT people are always under threat of being murdered. Mentioning the discrimination she has formerly been exposed to because of her Kurdish identity Öykü says, “We are humans. We feel, eat, sleep, wake up, we have no difference. The only difference between us is language and culture, but this cannot be the reason to fight.”  

“We do not ask anyone whether they are heterosexual or not”

LGBTT Hebûn Initiative activist Öykü Sezer also complains about being renamed because of their sexual orientation, they are called “third species”. She also says that they do not accept a term like third species: “When you take off your clothes, you are male or female. There is no third gender. It is unacceptable to intervene in people’s sexual orientation.  We do not ask anyone whether they are heterosexual or not. People should not be this ill-minded”.

“Media is not objective”

Complaining about biased media coverage in Turkey and all over the world, Sezer states that none of the LBGTT murders, tortures and demonstrations against these insidences were given place in media.  Criticizing media`s indifference to the activities of LGBTT, Öykü says “Even when they cover it, a very big, vital issue for us is given as a minor ordinary event.” She also says that their efforts to raise awareness among the LGBTT are not sufficient pointing out their urgent need for more legal and psychological support. She also says lawyers and psychologists whom they asked for support were  afraid. “Two female lawyers who worked with us were deciphered and defamed as being bisexual .”  We call for aid from sensitive lawyers and psychologists. “ Sezer said.

 “Government is the final decision-maker”

Stating that terms like “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” should take place in the new constitution, Sezer adds, “they fail to see the chaos caused by non-existence of concepts of sexual orientation and gender identity. Therefore, the key point for the solution lies in the attitude of the governments.” Emphasizing the importance of a cooperative struggle with the women for a constitutional solution, Sezer says, “We can clearly see the problems stemming from the male-dominated society. I believe that we can solve this problem working together for a solution . We should cooperate. ” She also said their the Facebook group page, Hebûn was hacked,  “Our name is Kurdish as well as we are LBGTT. Name of the group who hacked our page is Ayyıldız Timi. E-mail accounts of all our members were deciphered. This was a racist attack. ”

 “LGBTT Institutions should be everywhere”

LGBTT activist Ümit Manay states that number of honor killings and murders wasn’t this high and people didn’t face this serious problems because of his sexual orientation. He also says that he was exposed to extreme conditions which led to trauma.  While walking in the street he is exposed to swearing, harrasment and he experiences alienation. He wants more LGBTT organizations everywhere, and they need to organize everywhere.  

“They are creating porn collections there”

Referring to the military service problem of the gay Manay says homosexual males were forced to prove that their sexual identity. In order not to attend millitary service, the homosexuals are asked to prove their sexual orientation through visual documents. “They  harrass you to prove it in degrading ugly ways. ”He also pointed out that the military authorities ask you to provide photos taken during the sexual intercourse with a smiling face. “They are simply creating porn collections there”.  Manay also says that they included families into the recent regulation making them testify about their children’s sexual orientations. They ask, “Is your child homosexual?” or “Is s/he LGBTT?”. “Most LGBTT people have to hide their identity from their families. Those kind of regulations make LGBTT people alienated. Therefore, most of my LBGTT friends experience bad things.” In the society, there is a misperception of homosexual male. “People think that male homosexuals wear bright clothes, behave frilly; transsexualis are inclined to terrorizing people with knives in their hands. This shows the misperception about homosexuality among people.”

In order to destroy the sexist perception in the society, women should be free. Women have secondary importance. He also stated that regarding the issue of equality of women and men, males have a big role, “We can destroy the sexist perception only if women get free.”  

Photo -Camera: Hülya ADIYAMAN

Translator: Canan UÇAR

JINHA

(gk/hp/cu)