education

The statement of METU LGBTI+ Solidarity Group on the bans for the 9th METU Pride March

The statement of METU LGBTI+ Solidarity on the METU Administration’s decision to ban the 9th METU Pride March:

Source: The statement of METU LGBTI+ Solidarity on the METU Administration’s decision to ban the 9th METU Pride March (ODTÜ Lgbti+ Dayanışması’nın Onur Yürüyüşüne yasak kararına ilişkin açıklaması), Lubunya Dayanışma Ağı / Lubunya Solidarity Network https://www.facebook.com/lubunyadayanismagi/photos/a.1731041177022948/2032498373543892/?type=3&theater, 7 May 2019

The METU Rectorate has sent an e-mail to all students, graduates, and academics of the university today around at 14:00. In the e-mail, the rectorate announced that the 9th METU Pride March, which is allegedly organized by “various non-governmental organizations”, shall not be permitted since it is an LGBTI+ event and there is, the rectorate claims, still a ban against the march, and it shall be met with police violence if any event is organized. In an environment where there is no such a ban, the METU Administration is trying to manipulate the situation by acting as if such a ban still exists.

It should be noted that METU LGBTI+ Solidarity which has been targeted by the police for years, would organize the 9th METU Price March on May 10. METU LGBTI+ Solidarity has made great efforts to secure gender equality, fight against LGBTI+ phobia, and ensure that the campus is a safe place for the past 23 years and shall continue doing so. Throughout the e-mail, METU Administration discriminates against METU LGBTI+ Solidarity and the LGBTI+ students pointing them out as a target, just as it has been doing for many years. This is a violation of basic human rights as well as METU’s tradition and culture. Besides, the METU Administration is in violation of international human rights agreements such as the Istanbul Convention which Turkey is a signatory of and breaches the EGERA Charter for Gender Sensitive Governance and the EGERA Charter for Gender Sensitive Communication that our school is a part of.

The METU Pride March is not organized by a variety of non-governmental organizations, but by METU LGBTI+ Solidarity. Presenting the demand for permission as something marginal is absurd and irrational, just like the reason for cancelling the Spring Festival last week claiming that it is because of “LGBT, Marxist, extreme leftist, HDP groups”. It is clear that this announcement fits the pro-government media or Zaytung* better. As seen from the protests demanding the Spring Festival, the administration does not represent METU traditions and thought that it could ban the march, threatening the whole METU community with police violence.

The most saddening part is that the METU Administration aspires to be a one-man regime fitting this country’s mentality of lawlessness. The bans against LGBTI+ events, imposed  both during and after the state of emergency, has been lifted by the court after stating that no ban of this extent can be introduced even during the state of emergency. In addition, CİMER (Presidential Communication Centre) has confirmed that there is no such general ban and each event shall be evaluated on its own. All the detailed statements in relation to the legal status are available as attached.

We call out to all METU people as well as those who want to protect freedoms; to the people who are against LGBTI+ phobia, sexism, discrimination, and patriarchy. Come here and let’s defend life in spite those who are full of hatred. Let’s spread our peaceful parade and rainbow celebration with marches and events for the whole of METU on May 10.

You can find detailed information relating to the legal status below:

https://tinyurl.com/lgbtiyasakkarar

METU LGBTI+ SOLIDARITY

We invite you to support with the hashtag #ODTUyeRenkVer

*Translator’s note: Zaytung is an online satirical magazine based in Turkey

Also see our article on the lifting of the LGBTI Activitities ban in Ankara and the protests on the METU campus in support of the spring festival.

LISTAG reestablishes itself as an association

LISTAG, Lezbiyen, Gey, Biseksüel, Trans, İnterseks Aileleri ve Yakınları Grubu, (The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Intersex Family and Friends Group) has reestablished itself as an official association in Turkey, registering itself with the Directorate of Associations under the Ministry of Interior.

LISTAG offers family support to the parents and relatives of LGBTI+ individuals in Turkey. With meetings across the country, the organization offers much needed support. Counseling and a support network offered by LISTAG helps parents and family members confront their biases as well as understand and accept their loved ones as they are.

In 2013, LISTAG produced the “My Child” documentary, a film based on interviews with many of the parents involved in the organization. The film shows the incredible ways in which LISTAG has helped empower the parents as well the LGBTI+ individuals themselves through the support network.

In a statement on why LISTAG has decided to take this step the organization explained that:

“We had a yearlong experience being an association between 2015-2016 but when we realized that we did not have the human resources or the mentality to sustain the association, we terminated it. Since then LISTAG has grown bigger across Turkey with new people joining in. There arose the need for a corporate body which brings together LGBTI+ families and friends.  We believe that individuals and names are transitory, what matters is to leave a sustainable structure behind. Our first task will be to improve and strengthen our institutional capacity and human resources. Our aim is to reach more families with LGBTI+ children, to support them and to continue the LGBTI+ rights struggle in Turkey as an alliance.”

Being registered as an association has a variety of legal benefits including allowing the organization to open commercial offices and earn revenues. Registered organizations also have more opportunities to lobby, apply for grants and collaborate with government bodies.  Official recognition also strengthens the visibility of the LGBTI+ movement in Turkey.

A Cardboard Tractor Model with Rainbows in METU

After the rector of the Middle East Technical University cancelled the 33rd International Spring Festival, METU Student Clubs gathered together in front of the Rectorate building yesterday [on April 16, 2019].

Source: A Cardboard Tractor Model with Rainbows in METU (ODTÜ’de gökkuşaklı traktör maketi) Özgür Gür, Kaos GL, April 17, 2019, http://www.kaosgl.org/sayfa.php?id=28080

METU Student Clubs, including METU LGBTI+ Solidarity, grouped together in front of the Rectorate building yesterday (April 16), after the rector cancelled the 33rd International Spring Festival.

Over 2 thousand students protested throughout the day against the cancellation of the traditional spring festival which has been organized in METU since 1987. At the press statement made during the protest, it was highlighted that the festival should continue to be celebrated in METU Revolution Stadium.

Rector discriminates against the students

During the statement, it was announced that the rector Versan Kök, who cancelled the festival using discriminatory language with the claim that “the student clubs decided to waive their demands for the festival after meeting with several LGBTI, Marxist, Extreme Leftist, and HDP supporter groups”, which points out the students as the target. During the protest, it was emphasised that all the METU Clubs stand together against all discriminatory acts. As the clubs that signed the statement were being announced the METU Media Club and the METU LGBTI+ Solidarity were applauded for quite some time .

“LGBTI, Marxist, Extreme Leftist, HDP supporter” tractor in METU

One of the spotlights during the protest was a cardboard tractor model. The tractor was covered with a rainbow flag and designed with the colours of the transgender flag.

The tractor with a plate written “06 Extreme Leftist” was dedicated to the rector’s words “they even wanted a tractor”.

Keep defending LGBTI+ students against discrimination in education!

Kaos GL Association Union & Education Working Group gathered together with Eğitim-sen (Education and Science Worker’s Union) LGBTI+ Commissions in İzmir.

Source: [We’ll] keep defending LGBTI+ students against discrimination in education! (Eğitimde ayrımcılığa karşı LGBTİ+ öğrencileri savunmaya devam!) Kaos GL, April 16, 2019, http://www.kaosgl.org/sayfa.php?id=28075

 

Kaos GL Association Union & Education Working Group gathered together with Eğitim-sen (Education and Science Worker’s Union) LGBTI+ Commissions in Izmir.

Kaos GL Association’s Union & Education Working Group had the first meeting of the new term in Izmir. On April 13th – 14th, a series of anti-discrimination and awareness-raising events were organized and the host of the union meeting in Izmir was Eğitim-sen Izmir 2nd Branch LGBTI+ Commission and Genç LGBTI+ Derneği (Young LGBTI+ Association).

In addition to the participants from Izmir, union workers and educators from Ankara, Istanbul, and Nicosia, Northern Cyprus attended the meeting and plans for the new term were discussed.

Seçin Tuncel of Kaos GL stated that they got the chance to meet with various teachers, LGBTI+ activists, and union workers from Izmir and other locations, and added that union meetings are empowering:

“These meetings show us how well we can heal each other in this tough political environment. For instance, teachers who became distant with the union activities can narrate their activist acts and the work in their region through these meetings; the experiences are mutually shared.”

During the workshops hosted by Genç LGBTI+ Derneği on Sunday, April 14th, Seçin Tuncel shared the “LGBTI+” definitions and Remzi Altunpolat talked on “Discrimination and Heterosexism in Education”.

Barış Azar of Genç LGBTI+ Derneği shared their work titled “LGBTI+s’ experiences in dormitories”.   

Following from the studies conducted with school counsellors at Genç LGBTI+ Derneği, the topics of what causes the sexist and heterosexist content in education to develop and how it is reproduced were discussed with the guidance of physiological counselling and guidance experts. It was recorded that the elements causing this content to develop are curriculums, course materials, teachers, students, school administrations, and regulations.

While the teachers were sharing their own experiences, the problems children who don’t follow gender roles experience and how these affect their development were talked about. What can be done in pre-schools, primary schools, secondary schools, and high schools was discussed.

The actions for the new term were discussed and planned under the coordination of Kaos GL Union and Education Work Group. The event program planned by Istanbul Eğitim-sen 3rd Branch LGBTI+ Commission for the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia on May 17th was discussed. Also, the studies and work on the students who are exposed to discriminatory implementations in education were conferred and children’s literature & books were examined.

Lastly, the Union and Education Working Group discussed the fact that the topics of gender and LGBTI+ should be included in sexual education, multi-cultural education, inclusive education, and peace education discussions and programs.

Against discrimination in education

School counsellors and psychological counselling & guidance department students from different parts of Izmir attended the forum hosted by Eğitim-sen Izmir 2nd Branch LGBTI+ Commission on Saturday, April 13th. The needs and the problems of the LGBTI+ students and the anti-discrimination education policies were conferred during the forum.