Istanbul Pride Parade: “We are Here, My Love!”

12th Istanbul Pride Parade took place on Istiklal Avenue yesterday with a long rainbow flag spreading across the avenue. 

Previously, Istanbul Governor’s officials met with the Parade Commission, saying that they will open Taksim Square to demonstrations. However, the parade started from outside of Consulate General of France due to a police barricade by plain cloth officers.

Apart from thousands of demonstrators, stores on İstiklal Avenue such as Mephisto supported the pride by putting rainbow flags on their windows. When some activists entered those stores, it was as if stores wore collars of rainbow.  

The street sellers were also ready to the pride this year. While several street sellers sold colorful wigs, several costume materials were available with an LGBTI twist.

Thousands of people exclaimed slogans like “Where are you my love!”, “I’m here, my love” during the parade. 

“We touch, even if that means burning”

Following the two-hour long pride across the avenue, LGBTI groups made a joint statement in Tunnel Square, mentioning of the social unity and contact between various groups after the Gezi Resistance. 

“When the pride ended in 2013, we knew that we would never be alone, anymore,” they said in a statement. 

LGBTI groups criticized that Turkey’s Constitution and a newly implemented law on discrimination ignored LBGTI people. 

“The non-recognition of LGBTI groups is encouraging hate crimes,” the statement said.

Some of the highlight from the statement are as follows:  

“When the 2013 Pride Week started, our subject was ‘Resistance’, our all life is resistance, and this is still like that.

“After this experience, in 2012, we can see positive results of our struggle for 22 years. Nevertheless our struggle will continue against homophobic, transphobic violence.  Not for long time ago, we see mentality of AKP’s government to LGBT’s realities in the process of making a new constitution short time ago.

“The non-recognition of LGBTI groups is encouraging hate crimes. 

“This dictatorial system must collapse and we should create a new world. We don’t stay away from each other anymore; the time is touch’s time now!”

12th Istanbul Pride Week ended with the parade and statement. (ÇT/GOA/BM)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.