Alisha Casey/November 7, 2008/ 4:20
This week in Istanbul Turkey this week transitivities have pushed the limits of the Turkish government. A Kurd by the name of Esmeray stands in the streets and explains her story of how she was born a man but knew that she should be a women.
According to Human Rights Activist in Turkey many transitivities are beaten, tortured, and even detained. It has been found that transitivities are considered to be "the lowest of the lowest" in Turkey. Their rights and freedoms are considered to be so low that the fact they have been beaten by police is overlooked. Many complaints that have placed against officers have never been seen in the courts. It has been estimated that there are more transitivities in Turkey than Brazil. Turkey is much like the United States gay men or cross dressing men cannot be apart of the army but same sex relations have not been banned. The article discusses the fact that many men that want to be army and are suspected to be gay or trans gendered must undergo extensive examinations and some are even admitted into psychiatric institutions due to the belief that they may be suffering from a mental illness.
The abuse that gays and transgendered individuals have experienced are beginning to surface in Instanbul, it is also receiving rebukes from the European Union as well. In June there was the biggest gay parade in Istanbul this year. Justice is needed in the country.
Personally, the issue of gay and transgendered individuals is a controversial one. People are people no matter their sexual orientation and for that reason I believe that the police officials that have beaten and mistreated gays should be convicted. Despite the fact that there is a difference of opinion concerning gays that gives no one the authority to beat someone for that reason. Hopefully, Istanbul can come to some solutions that work for both the country and the individuals being affected.
http://www.economist.com/research/articlesBySubject/displaystory.cfm?subjectid=348951&story_id=12564128
1 comment:
It sounds like a complicated issue. Transvestites are a sensitive issue in most countries- what is the significance of the estimate that there are more transvestites in Turkey than in Brazil? Also- what do you mean by 'same sex relations have not been banned'? I'm not sure I get what you mean by that. Does it mean people of the same sex marry?
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