Homosexuals demand rights at Istanbul’s Gay Pride March

Thousands took to the streets Sunday to express their support for Turkey’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, or LGBT, community and to protest against hate crimes on the last day of Istanbul’s 19th LGBT Pride Week in Taksim Square.

Independent Istanbul deputies from the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party, or BDP, also lent their support to the demonstration.

“We demand the addition of the clause ‘sexual orientation and identity’ to anti-discrimination laws, as well as to the 10th article of the Constitution which oversees the principles of equality, [in addition to] union rights for sex workers and the legislation of a Hate Crimes Law,” read the press release issued at the event, according to Doğan news agency, or DHA.

The event comes after another pro-LGBT demonstration, the Trans Pride Walk, which took place on June 20 in Istanbul’s Taksim Square.

Demonstrators also called for the murderers of homosexuals to be caught and for the social recognition of gays.

The parade was attended by thousands of LGBT activists from a variety of gay organizations, including Lambdaistanbul, İstanbul LGBTT and Morel Eskişehir.

Independent deputies Sebahat Tuncel, Sırrı Süreyya Önder and Ertuğrul Kürkçü from the BDP also backed the demonstrations.

The demonstrators carried banners, placards and a large flag bearing rainbow colors. “We are here, get used to it,” and “Do not keep quiet, speak up, homosexuality exists,” were some of the slogans chanted by the demonstrators.

The demonstrators dispersed quietly after issuing the press release.


/Hurriyet Daily News/