LGBTI+s Stranded at Turkey-Greece Border: Everyone Has Forgotten About us

* Photo: Kaos GL

Click to read the article in Turkish

In the wake of an attack on Turkish Armed Forces' (TAF) convoy in Syria's Idlib, Turkey made a statement on February 28 and announced that it opened its borders and would no longer stop the refugees trying to leave Turkey for the European Union (EU) countries.

Right after that, over a hundred thousand refugees have set for Turkey-Greece border. Refugees have been waiting there for 19 days now.

As reported by Yıldız Tar from Kaos GL Association, there are also LGBTI+s among the ones waiting at the border. Waiting there is becoming more and more difficult for them with each passing day.

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Speaking to KaosGL.org, a refugee transgender man has said that they have been waiting at the border for 15 days and added that while they do not want to go, they are forced to do so by the police:

"Here are so many people. Small children, pregnant women... It is very cold and our supplies are really scarce. There are no enough materials like tents or shoes. Here is no such thing as sanitation.

"I have not taken a shower for 15 days. now We have twenty wash basins for thousands of people. We use everything with great difficulty. The food line is quite long. When you get in the line for breakfast in the morning, you can get food for dinner. Rows erupt at night.

"Police and gendarmerie officers beat us. Everyone has forgotten about us. The world is only thinking about corona now. No one thinks about us.

"I am a trans man. I have come here, leaving my country, my land, my family behind. Just to live a normal life... But, for the last five years, I cannot live normally. I cannot live like others.

"No one likes foreigners in Turkey. No one likes or wants LGBTI+s anyway. I have no idea about what will happen. I have just a little bit of hope left. And I do not know when it will end. People here have a right to life. They also want freedom, they also want a normal life. Pity on the children here... What will happen is not certain whatsoever."

Another refugee LGBTI+ has also said that the weather is very cold and added, "They have forgotten about us. They have forgotten about refugee LGBTI+s. No one does anything for us. No one even talks about us." (EMK/SD)