Next week on Wednesday is the start of "Gay Pride Week", and in Turkey it will be an important event for gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transvestites and transsexuals. A first march was attempted in Turkey in 1993 but forbidden by the governor's office; it was only in 2003 that a street event could be organised.

"We took courage from each other and marched to Mis Street together. Time passed quickly, and we stopped listening to the people standing on the edges. We only heard our own voices in the streets. On that day, Istiklal Street [in Beyoglu, central Istanbul] heard our voices and applause," says Erdal Partog about the first Gay Pride March in 2003.

Why "Pride"?

Kürsad Kahramanoglu, of GLBTT, says that the world "pride" is a struggle the attempts to categorise people as second- or even third-class. "You may find your father or your MP among those you call 'dirty poofs'", he adds.

Planned Events

The week of events starts with a boat trip on Wednesday. Thursday will see discussions with "intercity dialogues" between several associations, and a forum called "I am censored, you are censored, he/she/it is censored..."

There are more forums planned for the following days:

* Friday, 29 June, a forum entitled "homeless homosexuals"

* Saturday, 30 June: "The private sphere is political"

"At school, at work, in parliament - activism is everywhere"

The week will end with a Gay Pride March on Sunday, 1 July. At the end of the march, there will be a "Hormone Tomatoes Homophobe Award Ceremony".

* For more information, see the website of the KAOS GL Association