Lesbian fiction “obscene”, says Turkish government
December 22nd, 2009
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office in Turkey has launched an investigation into a work of lesbian fiction, calling female same-sex relationships “obscene.”
The ‘L’ State of Love by Burcu Ersoy, was published as part of the From Women to Women Story Contest, carried out by Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Research and Solidarity Association (Kaos GL), the country’s leading gay rights NGO. The book is being investigated by the prosecutor’s office for representing lesbianism which it deems “an unnatural sexual relation”.
The investigation has prompted Turkish LGBT activists to press for an amendment to article 10 of the country’s equality bill to include sexual orientation and gender identity. Zeliş Deniz, a member of Lambdalstanbul, an LGBT rights group which the government previously attempted to disband, stated: “It is unacceptable to consider and perceive lesbianism as “abnormal” in a world that does not regard homosexuality as a disease.”
This is not the first time the government has attempted to censor the arts for representing homosexuality. In August, the Prime Ministerial board for Broadcasts/Publications Harmful to the Underaged banned the sale and advertising to under-18s of Third-Class Woman, a coming of age novel featuring a transsexual protagonist.
Constitutional homophobia has long been endemic to life in Turkey. Although homosexuality is not illegal, a leading LGBT rights organisation was dissolved by the government last May for contravening the Penal Code’s “laws and morals”, and Article 41 of the Turkish constitution, with stipulates “the peace and welfare of the family”.
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