Europeanization of Turkey and LGBTI Rights

Abstract

The European Union (EU) has established an advanced regime for nondiscrimination and LGBTI rights have been included within this regime. EU candidate states are expected to be a part of this regime and launch Europeanizing reforms in the area. While, as an EU candidate state, Turkey is not immune from this, LGBTI rights have remained an area without any reform in the 2000s and even an area full with discrimination experiences. This article examines why there emerged no reforms during the increasing Europeanizing reforms in Turkey in the 2000s. The main argument is that the reasons of inertia in LGBTI rights in the 2000s’ Turkey are the incapability of the EU for driving reforms and the negative mindset of the AKP regarding LGBTI-related issues.

Keywords

• Europeanization
• LGBTI Rights
• Non-discrimination
• Turkey

TÜRKİYE’NİN AVRUPALILAŞMASI VE LGBTI HAKLARI

Öz

Avrupa Birliği (AB) ayrımcılıkla mücadele konusunda gelişmiş bir yapıya sahip olmasıyla beraber LGBTI hakları da bu çerçevede ele alınmıştır. AB aday ülkeleri de bu rejimin bir parçası olmaları ve ilgili politika alanlarında reform yapmaları konusunda AB talepleriyle karşılaşmaktadır. Türkiye de bir AB aday ülkesi olarak bu durumdan bağımsız değilken ülkede LGBTI haklarında 2000’ler süresince bir gelişme yaşanmamış ve hatta bu alan ayrımcılığın sıklıkla tecrübe edildiği bir alan olarak ortaya çıkmıştır. Bu makale 2000’li yıllarda hızını arttıran Avrupalılaşma reformları süresince Türkiye’de LGBTI haklarında herhangi bir gelişme olmadığını ortaya koymakta ve bunun nedenlerini incelemektedir. Makalenin ana argümanı AB’nin bu hassas konudaki etkisizliğinin ve 2000’ler boyunca tek başına iktidar partisi olan Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi (AKP)’nin LGBTI ile ilgili konulardaki olumsuz zihniyet yapısının LGBTI haklarındaki durağanlığın nedeni olduğudur.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Avrupalılaşma
• Ayrımcılıkla mücadele
• LGBTI Hakları
• Türkiye

Kaynakça

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