Minister Yanik targets LGBTQIA+ people: no one should expect us to normalize them

Arti Gercek reports that Family and Social Services Minister Derya Yanik, who met with representatives of media organizations in Ankara, said, “No one should expect us, neither as individuals nor as a government, to normalize homosexuality and accept it in the public sphere as if it is not a problem.” Yanik also added that, "Individual freedom is one thing, things that impact social life are something else entirely," and argued that the preferences of LGBTI+ individuals should not be normalized in society.

Minister Yanik argued that 75 percent of violence against women in Turkey is caused by alcoholism, but that it was not possible debate this issue because they would be criticized for "interfering with lifestyles.”

“INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM IS ONE THING, SOCIAL LIFE IS ANOTHER”

Yanik, arguing that her projects were hindered by discussions about interference in others’ lifestyles said:

"We have many topics that fall victim to “lifestyle” debates. The well-being of 85 million is just as contagious to all of us just as the negativities that occur in 85 million affect everyone. Alcoholism constitutes 70 – 75 percent in the causes of violence against women. Yet, it is not possible for us to have a discussion about alcohol. You face a direct barrier of [people claiming it is a] lifestyle, or in the case of homosexuality debates, that they are 'individual freedoms.’

Individual freedom is one matter, but things that impact social life are something else entirely. Our homosexual citizens are still our citizens. Protecting their rights and protecting their right to life is the responsibility of the state and it cannot compromise on this, but on the other hand, no one should expect us, neither as individuals nor as a government, to normalize homosexuality and accept it in the public sphere as if it is not a problem. The two are very different things."

“WE HAVE MADE OUR STANCE CLEAR ON A CONSTITUTIONAL LEVEL”

Touching on the constitutional amendment proposal on the subject, Minister Yanik continued as follows:

"The marriage union consists of a man and a woman. Why did we want to write this in the constitution? Wasn't it in the existing laws? It was … [However], we wanted to put forward our attitude, our stance on the issue, in a clearer and more precise way."

“LGBT LOBBIES”

Yanik, saying that the spread of homosexuality would not be tolerated, continued as follows:

"We wanted to show our stance at the constitutional level. Unfortunately, there is a very clear-cut LGBT propaganda going on around the world, and we see that there is a huge economic backing and lobbying behind it. We cannot normalize homosexuality within the framework of humanitarian values ​​or turn a blind eye to its spreading. We need to do both individual and social work in this regard.”

The constitutional amendment proposal prepared by the governing parties, which cover Article 24 relating to the headscarf and Article 41 relating to the institution of the family, passed at the Constitutional Commission yesterday.

The amendment proposal for Article 41, which excludes LGBTI+ individuals implicitly, is as follows:

"The family is the foundation of Turkish society. The marriage union can only be established by the marriage of a man and a woman, and it is based on equality between spouses. The state takes the necessary measures and establishes a system to ensure the peace and welfare of the family, especially the protection of the mother and children, and the teaching and implementation of family planning. The child has the right to benefit from protection and care, and to establish and maintain personal and direct relations with his/her parents, unless it is clearly contrary to his/her best interests. The state takes protective measures against all kinds of abuse and violence."

The justification for the amendment to Article 41 was as follows:

“With the article clearly stipulating that only men and women of two different sexes can form a marriage union by marrying each other, it is made clear that no other union will be accepted as a marriage union and that the marriage union is based on equality between spouses, that is, between men and women. Thus, it aims to protect the institution of family and marriage against all kinds of dangers, threats, attacks, and the impositions of deviant movements.” (NEWS CENTER)