In Turkey: Trans Activist Figen Commits Suicide

[Guest LizMarie]

Trans activist Figen, a member of the Mersin 7 Renk [“7 Colors”] LGBT group and formerly on the board of directors of Pembe Hayat, committed suicide today (August 24th) evening by drowning herself in the sea off Mersin.

Trans women, routinely subjected to transphobic violence by both the Turkish police and local gangs, are trying to survive under harsh conditions. A recent escalation in transphobic attacks is destroying their living spaces.

http://lgbtinewsturkey.com/2014/08/25/trans-activist-figen-commits-suicide/

[Charlize]

What a pity that any culture would treat its people in such a way. Things here are far from perfect but hopefully for most of us are better than what seems exists in Turkey. I do wonder however if our trans sisters of color aren't faced with as much harassment.

Hugs,

Charlize

[KathrynJulia]

I've traveled to Turkey and while a moderate and in many ways an old culture, many old beliefs are still clung to. Any culture that devalues women's lives under men's lives and gives them second class status seldom respect the human rights of minorities and LGBT citizens. This was a great deal of why many countries in NATO fought against Turkey's inclusion.

May she rest in peace. I can only imagine the treatment that she received in Turkey

[Cyndee]

Living in that part of the world would be a hell unimaginable. Could you imagine being an activist out and proud in places like that ? ummm no. I am so sorry to hear of this loss of life.

I am truely grateful for our lives here.

C -

Edited September 3, 2014 by Cyndi2010
removed language in post, per mod disucssion

[Ravin]

Living in that part of the world would be a hell unimaginable. Could you imagine being an activist out and proud in places like that ? ummm no. I am so sorry to hear of this loss of life.

I am truely grateful for our lives here.

C -

There are plenty of moderate Muslims who would vehemently disagree with you about sexism being "sanctioned by Allah," regardless of how ingrained it is in the cultures where Islam predominates. Islam actually moderated how heavily misogynist Arabic culture was (example: giving women inheritance rights), and if I was less lazy I could quote the Q'uran to back up what I'm saying; there are particular verses which make it clear that men and women have equal, direct relationships with God in Islam.

Up until about the 19th century when things started changing in the West, women in countries with Sharia law actually had more rights than they did in most Christian countries.

That said, trans women definitely don't have it easy in Turkey. But you can just look at Russia to realize there's a lot more to the cultural hang-ups there than religion.

[Carolyn Marie]

This is a tragic end to a life filled with promise, and points out how brutally transfolk are treated in so many places in the world, including America.

Ravin makes an excellent point here. It is important that we be careful about condemning a region, a country or a religion based on the actions of whatever extremist group commits a heinous crime, or make terrible statements, against the TG community. Shall we suspect, or lock up, all Muslims in America because members of ISIS beheaded an American? Down that path lies hatred, cruelty, and oppression.

I also note that the article contains some inflammatory language, stating that a group of transfolk were tortured in public. They were beaten, certainly, and arrested. Those are terrible crimes. But the use of torture to describe the actions of the police was, IMO, used deliberately to inflame passions.

Carolyn Marie

[Guest Annutty]

This saddens me greatly. I studied Turkish as a language for 2 years, and although I never traveled to turkey, I was in Germany for 5 months, where there are many Turkish immigrants (I even took a semester of Turkish in Germany- in German). (I was not transitioned back then).

Also, from my understanding, Turkey is a very secularized country nowadays. It's not like Saudi Arabia or anything. So be careful when grouping all countries and peoples into one "Muslim region" or whatever. I used to know several Turks who were born in Turkey and were not some sort of religious extremists. I don't know how they felt about trans people, because it never came up.

That being said, obviously they have a huge problem over there with people being aggressively anti trans.... just makes me sad because I think they have a beautiful language and amazing food and art. Hoca would be so dissapointed....

[Cyndee]

Unfortunately religion does play a part in re-enforcing cultures of sexism, here and there. The core issue, changing the culture, and if religion could be used to help, even better. Change will be slow and painful there.

C -