OUR EXISTENCE CANNOT BE BANNED!
May 17, the day when the World Health Organization took the decision in 1990 to declassify homosexuality as a “mental disorder”, is celebrated worldwide as the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, Biphobia and Interphobia.
35 years later, as the calendar once again turns to 17 May, we recognize one more time the value and significance of this historic turning point, and raise our voices to emphasize the importance of the struggle against hatred. With the strength and inspiration we draw from this special day, we will continue to strengthen our solidarity, and claim our lives, identities and existence.
We, as witnesses to the pain and suffering that has taken place across these lands, commemorate with affection all our friends who were torn away from life as a result of state policies and precautions that were never taken, and on the occasion of this special day, we repeat once again: HOMOPHOBİA KILLS… TRANSPHOBIA KILLS… BIPHOBIA KILLS… INTERPHOBIA KILLS…
Quite recently, a circular sent out by the Ministry of Family and Social Services even sought to ban the use of internationally accepted and established concepts including “gender”, “sexual orientation” and LGBTI+”.
Such attempts at prohibition serve as proof of what our friends who were massacred or driven to suicide experienced and were subjected to. The state does nothing, takes no action to prevent murders and suicides, while it brazenly defends such measures, which we perceive as a clear attack on our existence. The state, once again, is fully responsible of all and any negative action carried out by those who find encouragement in such language defended by the state. This is precisely why we say LGBTI+ SUICIDES AND MURDERS ARE POLITICAL.
This attempt at prohibition reminded us of the words “When necessary, shopkeepers are soldiers, police and judges”. This mindset was the reason why the murderers of Ali İsmail Korkmaz, beaten to death at such a young age, were left unpunished, and after the killing of Ali İsmail, the number of workers murdered by beating, trans people burned to death and women tortured to death increased constantly.
The fact that Pride marches are still banned is one of the most explicit signs that the State of the Republic of Turkey is in breach of the international conventions it has signed. Turkey’s violation of such conventions, and the continuing silence, in line with their own interests, of other countries who have signed these conventions in the face of Turkey’s violation of rights, stand before us as a great instance of shame of disgrace, and shows that they fully disregard the existence of LGBTI+ lives across our lands.
In the Turkey of 2025, it is clear that the ruling party, and the mainstream right-wing political powers that act as its partner, instead of accepting this reality as a situation that needs to be fought against, perceive and approach it from a viewpoint that fans the flames of hatred.
On the occasion of 17 May, the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, Biphobia and Interphobia, we invite all LGBTI+s, rights defenders, democratic mass organizations and LGBTI+ ally citizens to stand against this denialist and aggressive policy of hatred, and to raise our voices louder and stronger than ever.
Long Live May 17!
*HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION LGBTI+ COMMISSION *
