Conference of the International Journal of Arts & Sciences, CD-ROM. ISSN: 1943-6114 :: 08(03):115–120 (2015) BEING LGBTI IN TURKEY: A SOCIAL STRUCTURE-BASED APPRAISAL Seher Cesur-Klçaslan stanbul Arel University, Turkey Toprak I k (Erdal Klçaslan) Independent Scholar, Turkey Today, at least in the West, LGBTI people can be said to no longer face allegations of perversion in academic and scientific discourse. However, in Turkey, the human-rights situation of homosexuals remains somewhat below what could be accepted as the ideal level. First and foremost, homosexuality is not defined as a legal identity in the sphere of the individual’s own personal freedom and privacy. Families do not stop at not wanting to accept that their children are homosexual; they also fight against it, routinely forcing their LGBTI children to become heterosexual through treatment or pressure. As for civil service, compulsory military service and the prison system, homosexuals are subject to major abuses of their basic human rights and even their rights as citizens, stemming from the attitude of the state. In Turkey, the pervasive influence of patriarchy and Islam on social life is especially significant in understanding the difficulties in the lives of LGBTI individuals. This study aims to identify the problems faced by LGBTI individuals, to determine the source of these problems, taking into account the dynamics specific to Turkey, and to propose solutions to these problems. Keywords: Being LGBTI in Turkey, LGBTI, Homosexuality in Turkey, Rights violations against LGBTI in Turkey, Society’s views on homosexuality in Turkey. Introduction ILGA (the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association) General Secretary Kür ad Kahramano lu states that there are approximately 7 million homosexuals in Turkey (Türkiye’de 7 Milyon E cinsel Var, 2009). Turkish society, presumably because patriarchy is so preponderant, is especially prone to repudiating homosexuality, and its intolerance towards those who are openly homosexual is well-known. In 2006, in a study funded by TESEV (the Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation) based on face-to-face interviews with 1492 people, 66.2 % of the respondents stated that they would take exception to having a homosexual couple as neighbours (Çarko lu and Toprak, 2006:47). 115