Human Rights in Mental Health Initiative Association

Campaign against discrimination of LGBTI: Discriminatory Books and Practices Must Go

Numerous organizations in the fields of psychology, psychiatry, and sociology have started a major campaign against anti-LGBTI discrimination. Their first goal is to stop the sale of discriminatory books.

Source: “LGBTİ’lere ayrımcılığa karşı büyük kampanya” (“Major campaign against discrimination of LGBTI”) BirGün, 27 January 2015, http://www.birgun.net/news/view/lgbtilere-ayrimciliga-karsi-buyuk-kampanya/12683

Mental health workers have started a campaign opposing discrimination and prejudice against LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transexual, and intersex) persons. Noting that health organizations throughout the world have removed sexual orientation from classification as a disease since the 1970s, that in numerous countries legal measures have been taken to protect the rights of LGBTI persons, but that in Turkey there is a legal deficiency in this respect, the organizations have issued an appeal against books that promote discrimination. The appeal, signed by numerous associations and professional organizations such as the Association of Psychologists for Social Solidarity, the Turkish Psychologists Association, the Turkish Psychiatry Association, the Istanbul Chamber of Medicine, the Human Rights in Mental Health Initiative Association, the Psychological Consultants Association, the Trauma Studies Association, the Sociology Graduates Association, the Psychology Students Occupational Law Platform, and the Turkish Psychology Students Working Group, is as follows:

The printing and sale of books containing prejudice and discrimination in any form against LGBTI individuals and/or recommending “cures” for homosexuality/bisexuality should be halted immediately, and books of this kind found on bookstore shelves should be taken off the shelves.

In the area of mental health, all homophobic/transphobic practices and therapies which are administered under the name of “reparative therapy” or other names, which claim to “cure” homosexuality, and which, furthermore, give “patient” treatment to trans individuals, should be discontinued.

As institutions signatory to this text, we declare that we condemn these kinds of homophobic/transphobic books and practices, that we will publicly scandalise them and hold those responsible accountable, that we will take up legal action against these kinds of books and persons/institutions. We are determined to follow through with these actions. We invite all people and institutions, mental health workers, publishing houses, book stores, and schools to be aware of the situation in question and to support our campaign.