In Turkey, ’s not a crime to be gay. But LGBT activists see a risg threat. - The Washgton Post

Contents:

• TIPS FOR GAY AND LBIAN TRAVELERS TURKEY
• IS SAFE FOR A GAY MAN TO VIS TURKEY ON HIS OWN? - ISTANBUL FOM
• 5 SAFT PLAC FOR GAY TRAVELERS IN 2019 (AND THE MOST DANGERO)
• TRAVEL SAFETY REPORT: 20 WORST PLAC FOR GAY TRAVELERS IN 2021
• IS TURKEY GAY IENDLY - LGBTQIA+ TRAVEL FOM
• IS ISTANBUL GAY FRIENDLY?
• IN TURKEY, ’S NOT A CRIME TO BE GAY. BUT LGBT ACTIVISTS SEE A RISG THREAT.
• TURKEY: PORTUGUE TOURIST SAYS HE WAS JAILED FOR LOOKG GAY

TIPS FOR GAY AND LBIAN TRAVELERS TURKEY

Unfortunately, this is havg a very real and visible effect on LGBT rights Turkey that gay travelers to the area should take to acunt when planng a trip. In fact, same-sex sexual activy was legalized the Ottoman Empire 1858 and homosexualy has been legal sce 1923 when morn Turkey was found. This is spe the efforts of some opposn parti who have attempted to troduce bills that would allow gay and transgenr people legal protectn.

IS SAFE FOR A GAY MAN TO VIS TURKEY ON HIS OWN? - ISTANBUL FOM

A report published by Human Rights Watch 2008 showed how gay and transgenr muni face a threat of vlence and discrimatn on a daily basis.

The social suatn for members of the gay muny is better smopolan Istanbul than ral areas, where honor killgs still occur; but whether or not people feel fortable g out to their fay and iends pletely pends on their own ntext and would still mean a number of risks. Istanbul and some of the most tourist-iendly areas, such as Bodm, have a fairly thrivg gay scene, wh pulsg dance floors, gay bars, and hamams; but many lols who are volved the gays scene by night are livg a different life by day, as they are not able to be open wh their fay or iends, and certaly not at work, where they uld worry about the impact would have on their future. Public displays of affectn between heterosexual upl are owned upon as well, so any travelers would be advised to be discrete, not jt gay travelers.

5 SAFT PLAC FOR GAY TRAVELERS IN 2019 (AND THE MOST DANGERO)

Even Ankara and Izmir, Turkey’s pal and most Wtern-leang cy rpectively, don’t have anythg that close to beg scribed as a ‘gay scene’, so while they’re tertg plac to vis, gay travelers shouldn’t expect a party.

There is also a range of hamams, but they are equented by everyone bee they are such a tradnal Turkish experience, so gay travelers should not assume they are specifilly gay foced. Gettg to know people is one of the bt thgs about travelg and that’s particularly important a place like Turkey, where the gay scene is not always ‘ your face’. If you are stayg Istanbul or a seasi rort like Antalya, startg a night out a known gay-iendly bar is a good way to get chattg to lols and then plan your night om there.

Hor is the most prevalent gay social workg app Turkey (Grdr is banned), ’s sensible to stall a high-qualy VPN to protect privacy and avoid censorship.

TRAVEL SAFETY REPORT: 20 WORST PLAC FOR GAY TRAVELERS IN 2021

Compared to almost everywhere else the Middle East (Tel Aviv asi), Turkey is (still) one of the more liberal untri gay travelers n vis.

Certaly the qutn of adoptn or marriage, which thankfully prevails across much of neighborg Europe, is a dream for many Turkish gay October 2009 the report of the EU Commissn on Enlargement stated:‘There have been several s of discrimatn at the workplace, where LGBT employe have been fired bee of their sexual orientatn. On 29 June 2019, hundreds of people fied the ban and they were met wh tear gas, shields, pepper gas and plastic bullets om the e tear gasOur top eight tipsMyself and Jose spent eight weeks travellg Turkey and we met few problems wh regards to beg gay.

Kaos GL was the first gay and lbian magaze Turkey; their onle prence has a substantial sectn English, wh featur addrsg issu affectg gays and lbians clubs and nightlife that exists Istanbul tend to have Instagram and Facebook pag so try add the if you are terted parti and meetg fellow gay people. Know the gay iendly areasEvery cy has s different areas, and some of areas of Istanbul are more sued as gay travel statns than others.

IS TURKEY GAY IENDLY - LGBTQIA+ TRAVEL FOM

Around the Taksim square area is the noticed a big difference between the gay life Beyoglu, Galata and Taksim areas parison to other ci such as Kayseri and Isparta which are far more nservative.

IS ISTANBUL GAY FRIENDLY?

Furthermore, gay people are far more nfint checkg you out on the street as the ey tend to lger much longer than other parts of Turkey. Vis the clubs and take an uberIn Istanbul, some of the more well known and popular gay venu clu Tek Yon, Love Dance Pot, Bigudi Cafe, X-large club, Capl Cafe and Rocante. Uber n be easily tracked onle parison to wavg down a taxi which n possibly take a dnk foreigner on a longer, beg abundantly ut at night, if you don’t want your taxi / Uber driver to be aware that you exed om a gay club, take a look around the street earlier when you arrive.

However, ’s important to remember that Istanbul is pal of an Islamic untry; for all s liberal aspects, Turkey is chg s way closer to Middle Eastern valu daily, and this is havg a knock-on effect on LGBT rights Istanbul that gay travelers to the area should take to nsiratn. Homosexualy is not illegal Turkey: between adults, same-sex sexual activy was ma legal the Ottoman Empire 1858, and sce morn Turkey’s foundatn 1923 has always been legal. However, there are some rather ambiguo bans the crimal on “offens agast public moraly” which n be terpreted agast LGBT people and homosexuals are banned om ary service.

Currently, there are no anti-discrimatn laws Turkey that protect LGBT people om discrimatn the public sphere or employment, although opposn parti have tried to troduce bills providg legal protectn for gay and transgenr people. A report published by Human Rights Watch 2008 outled the daily threat of vlence and discrimatn faced by gay and transgenr people, wh sufficient reactn om police and the thori. The social suatn for members of the gay muny is better smopolan Istanbul than ral areas but whether or not people feel fortable g out to their fay and iends is extremely ntext-pennt and still pos a number of risks.

IN TURKEY, ’S NOT A CRIME TO BE GAY. BUT LGBT ACTIVISTS SEE A RISG THREAT.

Istanbul has a fairly thrivg gay scene, wh pulsg dance floors, gay bars, and hamams; but many lols who participate are livg a double life, beg unable to be open wh their fai or at work for fear of the negative impact uld have on their future. The shift towards nservatism Turkey as a whole do not bo well, but Istanbul’s long-tablished liberal character uld hold firm agast a risg ti of anti-gay feelg and hopefully ph that ti back.

TURKEY: PORTUGUE TOURIST SAYS HE WAS JAILED FOR LOOKG GAY

Generally speakg LGBT rights Istanbul are fairly well-tablished and is a very gay-iendly cy, although most of the gay life happens doors or at night. As wh most plac the world, gay upl or sgle gay travelers hopg to meet people should not n to any problems if stayg ternatnal, upsle hotels.

Otherwise, Istanbul offers a range of queer-iendly hotels and hostels, maly the areas mentned above – the gay quarter of Taksim, or Beyoğlu. Asi om the wealth of historic and cultural sights, there is a relatively thrivg gay scene Istanbul wh plenty of bars, clubs, f, and rtrants to choose om. There is also a range of hamams, but as a tradnal Turkish experience they are equented by everyone, so travelers should not assume they are specifilly gay foced.

In fact, the current climate, snas and hamams will actively avoid beg labeled as ‘gay-iendly, ’ so is better jt to enjoy the as cultural experienc unls you are wh someone the know. Gettg to know people is one of the bt thgs about travelg and that’s particularly important a place like Istanbul, where the gay scene is not always ‘ your face. ’ Headg to Taksim or Beyoğlu to start a night out a gay bar is a good way to get chattg to lols and then plan your night om there.