Today in Pride Stories: Who cannot settle with feminist sisterhood, sapphism and LezBiFem

Gaye’s Pride Story

Nowadays, I am in the middle of a busy work schedule which I thought was ‘temporary’ at first. Like other things that I postpone, I was waiting for the right time and place to write and share my little story, with a cup of coffee on the table and shed from the anxiety of being late to work.  Sometimes activism needs the right time and place too… For me and my friends, working or being broke is such a common reason for not being able to go or organize an event; it is a relief to know that we will run into each other at Pride at least.

My story began when I realized, during my first meeting with feminism, that the relation between my friends and I is not exactly a ‘sisterhood’. Feminism could not proceed with the heteronormative perception. Thankfully, at Amargi & Lambdaistanbul solidarity party, I saw that I was not the only spirit where the ‘sisterhood’ turned into sapphism. And again, thankfully, LezBiFem solidifies that spirit and swarms me with rainbows today (Of course I am trying to follow all LGBT+ associations). Without a private room of our own, I experienced how hard it was to come out from our closets, then I was proud  for every Pride that I participated in. Pre-Pride and Post-Pride, I tried to pretend to be a sales and advertising expert in that heteronormative patriarchal world and at the same time, stay away from changing rooms, try not to bump into anyone by accident and be labelled as a “pervert”,  and try to fight against LGBT+ prejudices like I was not the one they gossiped about during lunch breaks.

What happened at last Pride made me feel like Pride entered into our resistance history more than a parade. I feel more prepared for possible negative scenarios this time, not only me but my friends, the atmosphere, our energies, the agenda etc. One of the things I love the most in Pride is “public immorality”.

Lollipop-worthy performances, apologizing to a high school friend with whom I never predicted that the relationship would end badly back then (if you randomly see it, I am sorry again)…

I could not find a lyric to summarize my feelings. I wish for the best slogans, catching up with the events one after another during the week, and being more active for the preparation of next Pride. I thank those who support and widen this fight of ours, who are trying to write loose texts, thinking about their own rooms, at the cost of being late for work; making three, five political points during work breaks and in friendly circles, everywhere.

Stories multiply as they are shared. If you would like to tell your Pride story as well, send your writing of maximum 500 words to [email protected], we will publish it on both Kaos GL and LGBTI News Turkey both in Turkish and English. Do not forget to include your name or nickname.