Showing posts with label Turkey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Turkey. Show all posts

Thursday 22 April 2021

Interview with Hayat Çelik


Monika: Today I am going to interview Hayat Çelik, a Turkish transgender activist from Istanbul, LGBTQ+ activist, and YouTube vlogger. Hello Hayat!
Hayat: Hello to everyone from Turkey, Istanbul!
Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?
Hayat: I was born in 1980, in a small village in Sivas, as the youngest child of a family of 4 children living on a farm. I often compare myself to the cartoon characters of my childhood, Heidi and Yakari. I was born in the arms of Mother Earth, so I have a strong connection with Nature.
After completing primary education in a village school, my family enrolled me in a state boarding school in order to continue my education. Since our financial means were not sufficient, I stayed in the state dormitories for most of my education life, including university.

Sunday 29 December 2013

Interview with Şevval Kılıç


Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Şevval Kılıç, a Turkish LGBT activist, a member of non-governmental organizations such as Istanbul LGBTT Dayanışma Derneği and Trans-Blok, co-organizer of the Istanbul Trans Pride parade. Hello Şevval!
Şevval: Hi Monika!
Monika: You come from a country that is notorious for transphobia crimes, just to mention the murder of Neşe Dilşeker in 2012 and Dora Özer in 2013. Is Turkey not a country for transgender women?
Şevval: I wouldn’t say it that way but at the same time yes, the number of trans hate crimes is rising as never before. However, transphobia is everywhere with different levels, of course, from Japan to the USA, maybe Turkey is more gender-based-hypocritical.
Monika: What are the current issues on the agenda of such organizations as Trans-Blok and Istanbul LGBTT Dayanışma Derneği?
Şevval: I’ve recently resigned from Istanbul LGBT, and now I am working for Trans-Blok. Our first issue is to stop hate crimes against trans people. Our government is still resisting and ignoring the fact that we are living in a different age. It is still ignoring the existence of the LGBT movement, they don’t even articulate the term “LGBT”, because if you do not exist then your human rights do not exist either.
However, all Turkish LGBT organizations are working hard at that moment to gain more power every day and we know we will have our democratic rights eventually.

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