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“Are you not concerned that homophobic murders might increase in the society because of the comments made by your minister?” was among the written questions put to Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan by the Istanbul deputy Mehmet Sevigen following the strong reaction to State Minister Selma Aliye Kavaf in charge of family and women’s affairs who declared at a newspaper interview that homosexuality is a disease that should be cured.
Kavaf, one of the women cabinet members was interviewed by the Hurriyet newspaper’s Sunday supplement on various topics including her background as a teacher, her family life, her likes and dislikes.
“I believe that homosexuality is a biological disorder, a disease that should be cured. I do not have a positive approach towards the issue of homosexual marriages. We don’t have any work underway regarding this topic at our ministry. Furthermore, we have not received any request to this effect,” said Kavaf during the interview.
She also expressed her disapproval of television serials that show couples kissing each other. “When the journalists asked me what I think about couples kissing each other in the serial ‘Forbidden Love,’ I said such scenes are aired in the United States and Europe in coded format. Those who want to watch them buy them using a password. Those scenes may not be important in the morally degenerative sense for 40 or 50 year olds, but they might have different effects on 4 to 10 year olds,” Kavaf commented.
The serial she likes most is the controversial “Valley of Wolves” where a group of underground gang supposedly protects Turkey’s national rights through a lot of violence and bloodshed. The serial had caused Israel to protest Turkey last year, when in one of the episodes Israeli agents kidnap Turkish kids and the chief character raids the Israeli safe house slaughtering all inside.
Naturally, Kavaf’s comments drew strong reaction from both gay and lesbian organizations in Turkey as well as media commentators.
However, the only reprove from her own party came from an unlikely Health Minister Recep Akdag who is known for his very conservative views.
“It is a fact that homosexuality in Turkey is a difficult thing for those who live it. It may lead to discrimination. The society should be tolerant,” said Akdag.
“Would she say ‘get well soon’ to the German foreign minister?”
Mujde Ar, one of Turkey’s top film stars who is doing a chat program in one of the television channels also ridiculed Kavaf for her remarks.
“Selma hanim says homosexuality is a disease. It is not. For example the German foreign minister is openly gay. If she goes to Germany and shakes hands with the German foreign minister what is she going to tell him? Get well soon!” said Ar in her program.
Fashion designer Cemil Ipekci said the comments of the minister were “shameful and behind the times.” Ipekci gave a piece of advice to Kavaf to read contemporary literature on homosexuality before uttering such comments.
Representatives of gays and lesbians visit National Assembly
A delegation of six representatives of gay and lesbian associations visited the National Assembly during the week and they were hosted by the CHP deputy Sevigen. They also asked for an appointment from Kavaf but received no response.
“During the last two years 45 gays, lesbians and transsexuals have been murdered in Turkey. Some of them were knifed 36 or 37 times. Can you imagine the extent of hate?” asked Ozge Gokpinar of Kaos-GL.
