ΤΟΥΡΚΙΑ: Η ΠΡΩΤΗ ΠΟΡΕΙΑ GAY ΣΤΗΝ ΑΓΚΥΡΑ

Η ΕΥΡΩΠΑΙΚΗ ΕΝΩΣΗ ΚΑΙ Η ΠΑΓΚΟΣΜΙΟΠΟΙΗΣΗ ΕΦΤΑΣΕ ΚΑΙ ΣΤΗΝ ΤΟΥΡΚΙΑ!!!

First Ever Gay March Held in Ankara

  

 

ANKARA, May 22, 2008  –  A little bit

of gay history was made in the

Turkish capital on Saturday afternoon.

Over 100 gay men and women,

bisexuals and transgender people

assembled in front of the

human rights monument in

Yuksel Street for a march to

Parliament on International Day

Against Homophobia jointly organised

by Kaos Gay and Lesbian Association

and Pink Life LGBTT Association.

Joining local activists were

Michael Cashman MRP, the

president of the European Parliament’s

all-party Intertroup for gay and

lesbian rights, and Dutch feminist

and author Anja Meulenbelt.

The march encountered minor difficulty. 

The police, who outnumbered the

demonstrators, stopped the march

and demanded that the rainbow flags

and banners be taken down.

Marchers agreed and were then

allowed to continue. 

There were not other problems.

“I found these two days and in

particular the march deeply moving,”

said Mr. Cashman.

“There were barely one hundred of us,

and it was a reminder to me of how we

in countries like the UK take our rights for granted.

“Those Turkish women and men on

that march are heroes and warriors who

are prepared to put themselves on the

front line to achieve equality.  I will

never forget them and our sense of solidarity.”

Mr. Cashman also spoke at Friday’s

conference on LGBT rights and IDAHO

where he said that with “courage and

conviction”, equality will become a reality.

Earlier on Friday, Mr. Cashman had a

meeting with The Queen, UK

Foreign Secretary David Miliband

and the Prime Minister of Turkey. 

The Queen was on a state visit to Turkey.