A shelter that
began in 2013 in Istanbul, Turkey is providing a safe place for transgender
residents in the area. LGBT people in Turkey have struggled throughout the
years with discrimination; transgender people are not only discriminated but
are often victims of hate crimes. Although hate crimes are actually illegal in
Turkey, it doesn’t include crimes against people targeted for their sexual
orientation or gender identity. According to Transgender Europe, Turkey has the
highest case of transgender murders in Europe and the Middle East. The
transgender population struggles to find work and often have to resort to
becoming a sex worker because nowhere will hire them. Erbru Kiranci, a well
known Turkey LGBT activist, was inspired to open the shelter years ago but didn’t
have the proper funding until 2013 after being part a documentary to help her
do so. The LGBT community has grown and united greatly since the 1980’s, when
police would raid the homes of trans people and torture them, but prejudice is
still a huge concern. Last year, over 15,000 supporters marched in honor of
ending violence against transgender people at the Trans Pride march in Istanbul.
Kivilcim Arat, another young transgender activist, described their constant
battle as “being in war” with Turkey. She wants those who commit violence
against transgender people to be prosecuted and transgender sex workers to be recognized.
It’s extremely
disheartening to me that the LGBT community is still struggling this much today
in countries like Turkey. I can only hope that one day, those who commit
violence acts against transgender people will be prosecuted. Not only should
transgender sex workers should be recognized, since prostitution is legal in
Turkey, but trans people shouldn’t have to resort to prostitution because employers
won’t hire them.
February 5, 2015
3:12 PM
Ashley Casmirri
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