A book with 'gay' content was banned in Turkey!
13/08/2009
Submitted by
Kemal Ordek - Kaos GL
Few months ago, Anil Alacaoglu pubished his novel Ucuncu Sinif Kadin (Third Class Woman). In this first book of him, Ail Alacaoglu, was telling a story of a particular time of the life of a gay person from his childhood to his twenties. Particularly, the author tells about the problems that he has been faced by due to the pressure coming from a conservative society and also he tells the story of his discovery of his sexuality.
Because of ths content of the book, The Committee of the Security of Minors from Detrimental Effects of Publications, which works under Prime Ministry, decided to consider the book within the limits of obscenity and banned it from being sold to those who are under 18. Also, the committee decided that its advertisement cannot be made due this immoral content.
According to the judgment of the committee : " The book contains sexual relationship which is abnormal to the Turkish family norms and traditional morals and it praises anal sex with a tempting speech. Also, the author of this book underlines the pleasure one can take by anal sex and he expresses it as if it is a very normal thing."
" These kinds of relationships are abnormal and they are kinds of perversion which may effect minors' mental and sexual development in a severely bad way.'
Based on these arguments, the committee decided that the book should be confiscated and its advertisement and exhibition cannot be made. Also, it can only be sold with an extra coverage with 18+ sign.
The author is planning to sue the decision of the Prime Ministry Committee in front of the court based on the argument that this decision is overtly against freedom of expression. Also, it clearly intervenes in freedom of speech and press. It is also against anti-discrimination perspective since it perceives that homosexuality is abnormal and has detrimental effects over children. This is highly similar to the adopted law in Lithaunia in the sense that homosexuality is announced to be dangerous to minors and that any information concerning homosexuality should be banned.
Because of ths content of the book, The Committee of the Security of Minors from Detrimental Effects of Publications, which works under Prime Ministry, decided to consider the book within the limits of obscenity and banned it from being sold to those who are under 18. Also, the committee decided that its advertisement cannot be made due this immoral content.
According to the judgment of the committee : " The book contains sexual relationship which is abnormal to the Turkish family norms and traditional morals and it praises anal sex with a tempting speech. Also, the author of this book underlines the pleasure one can take by anal sex and he expresses it as if it is a very normal thing."
" These kinds of relationships are abnormal and they are kinds of perversion which may effect minors' mental and sexual development in a severely bad way.'
Based on these arguments, the committee decided that the book should be confiscated and its advertisement and exhibition cannot be made. Also, it can only be sold with an extra coverage with 18+ sign.
The author is planning to sue the decision of the Prime Ministry Committee in front of the court based on the argument that this decision is overtly against freedom of expression. Also, it clearly intervenes in freedom of speech and press. It is also against anti-discrimination perspective since it perceives that homosexuality is abnormal and has detrimental effects over children. This is highly similar to the adopted law in Lithaunia in the sense that homosexuality is announced to be dangerous to minors and that any information concerning homosexuality should be banned.
