The Presidency of Telecommunication (TIB) had blocked access “trans men data bank” Sick-o (www.transsicko.blogspot.com) on 7 October 2013 through “administrative measure” on the grounds of TIB Decision No: 5651. Transsick-o is an online blog that aims to inform readers on female to male transition and answers questions about trans men. A written petition requesting information on which No: 5651 article the blog violated went unanswered and access to the blog was re-granted on 24 October 2013 as arbitrarily and as quietly as the moment of closure.
Law Number 5651 Regarding Crimes on the Internet
Transsick-o: In this country, accessing information is the “shame”
Source: Ömer Akpınar, “Transsick-o: Bu Ülkede Bilgi Edinmenin Kendisi “Ayıp”,” (“Transsick-o: In this country, accessing information is the “shame”,”) Kaos GL, 11 October 2013, http://www.kaosgl.com/sayfa.php?id=14995
The Presidency of Telecommunication (TIB) blocked access to Transsick-o also known as “the trans men information site” on 7 October 2013 through “administrative measure.” Transsick-o petitioned the TIB on 11 October 2013 to find out the reason for closure. Volunteer lawyers will also follow the legal process. Berk İnan, the founder of the blog that answers hundreds of questions about the lives of trans people, transsexuality, and the mandatory medical and legal processes, talks to KaosGL.org about the censorship.
Who uses Transsick-o?
Transsick-o is a blog that Turkish speaking trans men, which does not only include trans men from Turkey but also dual citizens or Azeris, use for consultation. People from Azerbaijan and the United States ask questions. We are currently consulting a Syrian trans man refugee in Turkey. It’s actually difficult to see who makes use of the site since it is an open platform. So trans men who use Turkish as their native language (Turkey, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Azerbaijan, and Turkish speaking European Union residents and the rest of the world), their families, trans and LGBQI society, and the general public in Turkey benefit from it, I think.
Trans Men Information Site Also Victim to “Administrative Measure”
Source: Kaos GL, “Trans Erkek Bilgi Bankası da “İdari Tedbir” Kurbanı!”, (“Trans Men Information Bank Also Victim to “Administrative Measure!””), 8 October 2013, http://kaosgl.org/sayfa.php?id=14966
Transsick-o, an information blog on trans men, was censored by the Presidency of Telecommunication. An “administrative measure” was put in place against the blog that covers a broad range of topics on trans men issues and news that include health care, military, law, and coming out.
No longer accessible on the http://transsicko.blogspot.com address, the content was exported to http://transsicko.tumblr.com/ and to http://transsicko.blogspot.de/. Transsick-o admins announced that they will begin legal procedures regarding the administrative measure, which might have been initiated because of a complaint.