Source: C. Can Yüksel, “CHP’nin LGBT Raporu Tamamlandı,” (“The CHP’s LGBT Report Has Been Completed,”) Kaos GL, 16 January 2014, http://kaosgl.com/sayfa.php?id=15608
A report prepared by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) members of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) has been presented to the party.
The work for the report that has been carried out over the last six months by the LGBT Rights Research Committee of the CHP Kadıköy Youth Organization has been completed and submitted to the CHP Kadıköy chairperson.
The report was prepared by the LGBT and ally members of the CHP Kadıköy Youth Organization with the purposes of creating awareness about LGBT individuals within the party, informing the party about the problems (LGBT) individuals face, paving the way for the political representation of LGBT people in the party, establishing the groundwork in the party for the creation of laws addressing the needs of LGBT individuals in the parliament, and establishing the framework for internal policies to create an LGBT-friendly party.
What does the report consist of?
The report consists of three main parts. The first section defines essential concepts such as homosexuality, transphobia, sexual orientation, and gender identity. The second section deals with the problems that LGBT people experience in relation to legal regulations, political representation, military service, the right to self-defense, access to education and health services, discrimination in employment and housing, family, censorship and refugee status. Due to CHP’s law-making capacity and its place in political representation mechanisms, the report focuses more on the problems of legal regulations and political representation.
What should the party do?
It appears that the third section will have the most impact. This section details what CHP should do regarding the problems discussed in the previous section. This section of the report calls on the CHP to be more proactive in addressing LGBT people’s rights in the parliament. The report also contains important recommendations for the internal mechanisms of the party.
The recommendations are as follows:
- Sexual orientation and gender identity should be added to the party bylaws,
- Party disciplinary regulations should define hate speech against LGBT individuals as prohibited and punishable,
- A new chapter should be added to the party program on LGBT people’s problems,
- The central administrative board should appoint a vice-president responsible for LGBT politics,
- To put LGBT individuals who have announced their candidacy for office for the 2014 local elections in higher, electable positions in the candidate lists,
- In municipalities that the CHP wins, the party should create employment for LGBT individuals,
- In municipalities where the CHP has a stronger presence after the elections, the municipality should offer free shelters for trans individuals and free HIV-testing services,
- The party should designate member lawyers to help LGBT individuals who are in need of legal counsel and representation,
- The party should organize in-service training,
- For the 2015 general elections, the party should have at least one LGBT candidate for each of the electoral districts in Istanbul, Ankara, İzmir and Bursa.