Journal of Media Critiques [JMC] doi: 10.17349/jmc117210 P-ISSN: 2056-9785 E-ISSN: 2056 9793 http://www.mediacritiques.net jmc@mediacritiques.net REPRESENTATIVE OF LGBTT IN PRINTED LOCAL PRESS GAZIANTEP SAMPLE (2009-2014) FATMA YEŞİL  ABSTRACT The basic aim of the paper is an attempt to find out how Van Dijk's critical discourse analysis of LGBTT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transvestite, Transsexual) individuals who are represented at the local press. Sabah, Hâkimiyet, Express, Gaziantep27, Olay and Telgraf newspapers were selected from Gaziantep Printed Local Press for the study and how these LGBTT people were represented in these newspapers. The articles reviewed for the study were published between 2009 and 2014 is a key criterion for LGBTT people to be involved directly or indirectly (with links to various topics under different headings). In the context of Van Dijk's critical discourse analysis based on the study, and in the light of the determined criteria, the existing news obtained were carefully scanned from newspapers, examined and analyzed in detail by the method of critical discourse analysis. Keywords: Media, Discourse, Representation, Gender, Sexual orientation, LGBTT, Homosexuality. INTRODUCTION It can be said that since the first time, many theoreticians and doctors have been contemplating sexual preferences or orientations. One of these philosophers is Plato and there are doctors including Soranus (Baird 2004, 98). In this context, it is pointless to consider LGBTT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transvestite, Transsexual) people as a recent phenomenon in our present societies today. In Turkey, it is possible to say that the debate on sexual preference and sexual identity issues in the public arena has only started to come to the agenda in the 1950s. But LGBTT individuals, have begun to take their first steps towards coming together since the 1970s. But in the 70s, it was seen that they could not get a chance to organize within the framework of their sexual identity and have rarely come together since the 1980s and have begun to share their experiences and problems they have experienced. Although LGBTT people have made some major changes to change the rhetoric, have initiated talks about the existence of LGBTT individuals and have accepted themselves to the dominant culture in the social structure; the national media did not pay much attention about the existence of LGBTT individuals in the local press even after the 1990s. (Oksacan 2012, 313-323).  Lecturer, Gaziantep University, fatmayenmez@hotmail.com