- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Unrecognized
- Censorship
- ✖ State-enforced
- Changing Gender
- ✔ Legal, surgery not required
- Non-binary gender recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Discrimination
- ✔ Illegal
- Employment Discrimination
- Sexual orientation only
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Adoption
- ✖ Single only
- Military
- ✖ Illegal
- Donating Blood
- ✖ Banned (indefinite deferral)
- Conversion Therapy
- N/A
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
Suggest Public Opinion Data
1515–Aug 9, 1858
Until 1515
Until May 10, 2015
Until Jul 16, 2014
Until Sep 24, 2018
Public Opinion
Views on same-sex marriage or other legal recognition
Ranked #25 out of 27 regions surveyed. (Source: Ipsos, AprilāMay, 2021)
(25%) Against
Support (43%)
Views on same-sex couples' right to adopt
Ranked #23 out of 27 regions surveyed. (Source: Ipsos, AprilāMay, 2021)
(44%) Disagree
Agree (39%)
Acceptance of homosexuals as neighbors
Ranked #70 out of 79 regions surveyed. (Source: World Values Survey, 2017-2020)
Question: "On this list are various groups of people. Could you please mention any that you would not like to have as neighbors?"
(75.8%) Mentioned homosexuals
Did not mention homosexuals (20.7%)
Justifiability of homosexuality
Ranked #61 out of 79 regions surveyed. (Source: World Values Survey, 2017-2020)
Question: "Please tell me for each of the following statements whether you think it can always be justified, never be justified, or something in between."
(78.1%) Not justifiable
Justifiable (5.2%)
Opinion on same-sex couples as parents
Ranked #49 out of 74 regions surveyed. (Source: World Values Survey, 2017-2020)
Question: "Homosexual couples are as good parents as other couples"
(54.1%) Disagree
Agree (16.6%)
"Should society accept homosexuality?" (2019)
Ranked #27 out of 34 regions surveyed. (Source: Pew Research Center, MayāOctober, 2019)
Question: "Should society accept homosexuality?"
(57%) No
Yes (25%)
"Should society accept homosexuality?" (2013)
Ranked #27 out of 39 regions surveyed. (Source: Pew Research Center, June, 2013)
Question: "Should society accept homosexuality?"
(78%) No
Yes (9%)
Perceived Acceptance of Gay People
Ranked #79 out of 119 regions surveyed. (Source: Gallup, 2013)
Question: "Is the city or area where you live a good place or not a good place for homosexuals?"
(68%) Not a good place
Good place (11%)
By The Numbers
45%
Turkish people thought that LGBT+ people should have equal rights.
(Kadir Has University, 2020)
11.2%
of Turkish people think homosexuality should not be a criminal act
(Konda, 2012)
84%
of Turkish people do not want to live with LGBT neighbors
(World Values Survey, 2011)
History
Homosexual activity in Turkey is legal.
Current status
Since Aug 9, 1858
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
Ambiguous
No data about homosexualty in ancient Turks but some sources says it was death penalty
Same-sex marriage in Turkey is unrecognized.
Current status
Unrecognized
No laws about Same sex marriage. Gay people can make Wedding but marriages are not recognized bu goverment. First Same Sex Wedding was happened in Istanbul at 24 September 2014.
Censorship of LGBT Issues in Turkey is state-enforced.
Current status
State-enforced
Turkey has blocked pride parades. They have labeled rainbow products and pride items 18+, along with programs that include the LGBTQ community.
Right to change legal gender in Turkey is legal, surgery not required.
Current status
Since Nov 30, 2017
Since Nov 30, 2017
Legal, surgery not required
The Constitutional Court found the operation condition unconstitutional and canceled it with a majority of votes. Sterilization still required.
Legal, but requires surgery
Requires surgery and Sterilization. Ruled illegal under the EU. Missing non binary options on documents.
Legal, but requires surgery
In Turkey, the minimum age required to get sex reassignment surgery is 18. In order for one to change one's gender section on an identity card, the procedure must be conducted at a state hospital. Sex reassignment surgery is available in Turkey's major cities like Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and Antalya.
Until May 10, 2015
Ambiguous
It is unclear if transgender Turks are permitted to change their legal gender identity. Trangender women face a lot of societal barriers including transphobic violence leading me to believe that the Turkish government does not permit transgender individua
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 illegal.
Current status
Since Nov 2, 2016
Since Nov 2, 2016
Illegal
Banned as Hate Speech law but mostly not enforced
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 admitted that calling homosexuals "deviant "is hate speech.
Until Jul 16, 2014
No protections
There are not any protections for LGBT Turks. There is not any information about when this policy started.
LGBT employment discrimination in Turkey is sexual orientation only.
Current status
Since Sep 24, 2018
Since Sep 24, 2018
Sexual orientation only
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.ā
Until Sep 24, 2018
No protections
No laws about that.
LGBT housing discrimination in Turkey is no protections.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 1858
Since Jan 1, 1858
No protections
Proposed for full protections. Intenese Disrimination.
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.
Serving openly in military in Turkey is illegal.
Current status
Illegal
Security personal found to be homosexual are dismissed under laws that classify homosexuality as a "psychosexual disorder/illness".
Blood donations by MSMs in Turkey is banned (indefinite deferral).
Current status
Since 1980
Since 1980
Banned (indefinite deferral)
Conversion therapy in Turkey is n/a.
Current status
Since Dec 23, 2017
Since Dec 23, 2017
N/A
Some people don't practice.
Equal age of consent in Turkey is equal.
Current status
Since Aug 9, 1858
Since Aug 9, 1858
Equal
They are both 18
Top Contributors
- bradcoffey106 7 contributions
- Ausyk 5 contributions
- Buzdolabimotoru 5 contributions
- vviet93 1 contribution
- equaldex 1 contribution
- Notdog1996 1 contribution
2 Users live in Turkey
Turkey LGBT Organizations
Share Topic
LGBT Turkey Flag
Compare Turkey
Common queries:
- Is it illegal to be gay in Turkey?
- Is homosexuality legal in Turkey?
- Is gay marriage legal in Turkey?
Alternative names: TĆ¼rkiye (local name)
