"I Feel Afraid" The LGBT Turkey Community is Highly Nervous W/ Erdogan Win

 

Turkey’s LGBTQ community fear being exposed to more homophobic hate after conservative President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made them his favorite target for his bitterly divisive re-election campaign. The Islamic-rooted leader constantly railed against LGBTQ people on the campaign trail, accusing them of threatening traditional family values and calling them “perverse.” He also attacked opposition challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu for pledging to “respect everyone’s beliefs, lifestyles and identities,” including those of the LGBTQ community.

After extending his two-decade rule until 2028 in Sunday’s historic runoff election, Erdogan used the opportunity to target them again when he greeted supporters in Istanbul.

“Is the CHP LGBT? Is the HDP LGBT?” he asked, referring to Kilicdaroglu’s secular party and the main pro-Kurdish group that supported the opposition alliance. “Yes!” the crowd roared in reply.

Turkish President and People’s Alliance’s presidential candidate Recep Tayyip Erdogan gestures to supporters at the presidential palace, in Ankara, Turkey, May 28, 2023. (AP/Ali Unal)

Erdogan continued the pantomime by asking his rapturous supporters whether his ruling AKP party was LGBTQ-friendly.

“No!” was the unanimous rejoinder.