- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Banned
- Censorship
- ✖ State-enforced
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Legal, but requires surgery
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✖ Legal, but restricted for minors
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Employment Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Adoption
- ✖ Single only
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- ✖ Illegal
- Donating Blood
- ✖ Banned (indefinite deferral)
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
Recent studies in Turkey show a discernible level of opposition to LGBTQ+ rights among the population.
OPPOSE
SUPPORT
Perception of LGBTQ+ People
Survey results from 29 LGBTQ+ Equaldex users who lived in or visited Turkey.
Overall
Perceived Safety**Survey results represent personal perceptions of safety and may not be indicative of current actual conditions.
Equal Treatment
Visibility & Representation
Culture
Services
History
Homosexual activity in Turkey is legal.
Current status
Since Aug 9, 1858
Legal
The Ottoman Empire, the predecessor of Turkey, decriminalized sodomy in 1858.
1515–Aug 9, 1858
Male illegal, female legal
It was illegal in Ottoman Empire until 1858. Oldest finding about banning homosexualty in Ottoman Empire were from 1515.
Until 1515
Illegal (death penalty as punishment)
Following the expansion of the Mongol Empire, the Turks were to a certain extent affiliated with the ruling nation. The social organization of Mongol and Turkish tribes was based upon clan customs, its inner ways and habits were regulated by customary law.
In the 13 century, Chingis Kahn established the Yasa, or Code of Laws and Ordinances, which his successors continued to rule by. Although some scholars suspect Chingis Khan's Yasa only codified existing customary law others believe it served to supplement and fill any gaps left by customary law, especially in criminal law.
According to fragments from the Egyptian Historian Makrizi, sodomy was punishable by death as an offense against religion, morals, and established customs.
Adultery was similarly defined as a crime punishable by death. Marriage was demarcated by a law that ordained "that the man should buy his wife" and hence prescribed strict gender roles on family operation.
In the 13 century, Chingis Kahn established the Yasa, or Code of Laws and Ordinances, which his successors continued to rule by. Although some scholars suspect Chingis Khan's Yasa only codified existing customary law others believe it served to supplement and fill any gaps left by customary law, especially in criminal law.
According to fragments from the Egyptian Historian Makrizi, sodomy was punishable by death as an offense against religion, morals, and established customs.
Adultery was similarly defined as a crime punishable by death. Marriage was demarcated by a law that ordained "that the man should buy his wife" and hence prescribed strict gender roles on family operation.
Same-sex marriage in Turkey is banned.
Current status
Banned
Turkey does not legally recognize same-sex marriages, civil unions or domestic partnership benefits.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Turkey is state-enforced.
Current status
Since Jun 28, 2015
State-enforced
Since 2015, pride parades and related public events are blocked in Turkey, with law enforcement intervening.
On June 28th, 2015, the Istanbul Pride March was violently dispersed by police despite a history of it occurring peacefully with police protection and a trans pride march taking place only days ago without incident. Istanbul Pride has remained banned since then.
Turkey’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce requires online shops to mark LGBT-themed products with a minimum age of 18+. Companies who do not comply have their advertising suspended.
Board members of the ministry agreed that not listing such products with a warning risks children’s ”mental, psychological and social development”.
On June 28th, 2015, the Istanbul Pride March was violently dispersed by police despite a history of it occurring peacefully with police protection and a trans pride march taking place only days ago without incident. Istanbul Pride has remained banned since then.
Turkey’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce requires online shops to mark LGBT-themed products with a minimum age of 18+. Companies who do not comply have their advertising suspended.
Board members of the ministry agreed that not listing such products with a warning risks children’s ”mental, psychological and social development”.
Right to change legal gender in Turkey is legal, but requires surgery.
Current status
Since Nov 30, 2017
Legal, but requires surgery
The Constitutional Court annulled the provision of the Turkish Civil Code that regulates the condition of "being unable to reproduce" in order to allow gender reassignment. The request for annulment of the condition of having a gender reassignment surgery in order to change the identity card was rejected.
Legal, but requires surgery
Never was banned, officially legalized in 1988. In Turkey, the minimum age required to get sex reassignment surgery is 18. In order for one to legally change their gender, the surgery must be conducted at a state hospital.
Gender-affirming care in Turkey is legal, but restricted for minors.
Current status
Since 1988
Legal, but restricted for minors
Turkey provides for gender affirming care and it is comparatively more affordable than in other countries. However, you must be 18 to undergo SRS.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Turkey is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
Not currently recognized in Turkey.
LGBT discrimination in Turkey is no protections.
Current status
Since Nov 2, 2016
No protections
Banned as Hate Speech law but mostly not enforced. In 15 November 2022 Bullying children in schools is prohibited. Although the law does not specify any specifics, it is likely to include sexual orientation and identity, but discrimination of such matter still exists.
Illegal in some contexts
Hate speech based on sexual orientation was included in the decisions of the Constitutional Court for the first time. The Constitutional Court stated that calling homosexuals "deviants" or "perverts" constitutes hate speech.
Until Jul 16, 2014
No protections
In Turkey, there are currently no laws in place to prevent discrimination against LGBT individuals in the areas of work, education, housing, health care, and public accommodations.
LGBT employment discrimination in Turkey is no protections.
Current status
Since Sep 24, 2018
No protections
As a matter of fact , in the decision of the 22nd Civil Chamber of the Court of Cassation dated 24.09.2018 and numbered 2015/35120 Main, 2018/19675 , it is emphasized that discrimination due to the sexual orientation of the worker is within the scope of the prohibition (although the concept of "sexual preference" is used with an incorrect terminology) : The prohibition of discrimination can be added to this, due to the employee's sexual preference that does not cause any adverse effects in the workplace. Again, discrimination based on factors such as political reasons and worldview should be protected.” However, despite this, discrimination still exists.
Until Sep 24, 2018
No protections
In Turkey, there are currently no laws in place to prevent discrimination against LGBT individuals in the areas of work, education, housing, health care, and public accommodations.
LGBT housing discrimination in Turkey is no protections.
Current status
No protections
In Turkey, there are currently no laws in place to prevent discrimination against LGBT individuals in the areas of work, education, housing, health care, and public accommodations.
Same-sex adoption in Turkey is single only.
Current status
Single only
LGBT Turks are deemed unfit to be parents. However, it is unclear if there is legislation to support this. It is also unclear when this policy began. However, same-sex adoptions are not permitted in Turkey; Turkish authorities have attempted to reclaim Turkish children adopted into foreign countries by same-sex couples.
Intersex infant surgery in Turkey is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
There is no official ban on unnecessary sex reassignment operations in infants in Turkey.
Serving openly in military in Turkey is illegal.
Current status
Illegal
Military personnel found to be homosexual are dismissed under laws that classify homosexuality as a "psychosexual disorder/illness".
Until 2015, in order to be exempt, gay men had to prove that they were homosexual by providing photographic evidence of them being on the receiving end of anal intercourse.
Until 2015, in order to be exempt, gay men had to prove that they were homosexual by providing photographic evidence of them being on the receiving end of anal intercourse.
Blood donations by MSMs in Turkey is banned (indefinite deferral).
Current status
Since 1980
Banned (indefinite deferral)
Homosexual men in Turkey cannot donate blood. The Turkish Red Crescent considers homosexuality to be a risk factor for HIV/AIDS.
Conversion therapy in Turkey is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
There are no laws banning conversion therapies.
Equal age of consent in Turkey is equal.
Current status
Since Aug 9, 1858
Equal
The age of consent of 18 years is equal for everyone.
LGBT Rights by Province
View the LGBT laws in each individual province of Turkey.
- Adana
- Adiyaman
- Afyonkarahisar
- Agri
- Aksaray
- Amasya
- Ankara
- Antalya
- Ardahan
- Artvin
- Aydin
- Balikesir
- Bartin
- Batman
- Bayburt
- Bilecik
- Bingöl
- Bitlis
- Bolu
- Burdur
- Bursa
- Denizli
- Diyarbakir
- Düzce
- Edirne
- Elazig
- Erzincan
- Erzurum
- Eskisehir
- Gaziantep
- Giresun
- Gümüshane
- Hakkâri
- Hatay
- Igdir
- Isparta
- Istanbul
- Izmir
- Kahramanmaras
- Karabük
- Karaman
- Kars
- Kastamonu
- Kayseri
- Kilis
- Kirikkale
- Kirklareli
- Kirsehir
- Kocaeli
- Konya
- Kütahya
- Malatya
- Manisa
- Mardin
- Mersin
- Mugla
- Mus
- Nevsehir
- Nigde
- Ordu
- Osmaniye
- Rize
- Sakarya
- Samsun
- Sanliurfa
- Siirt
- Sinop
- Sirnak
- Sivas
- Tekirdag
- Tokat
- Trabzon
- Tunceli
- Usak
- Van
- Yalova
- Yozgat
- Zonguldak
- Çanakkale
- Çankiri
- Çorum
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#16
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Common queries:
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Alternative names: Türkiye (local name)
