Today marks the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR), a day to honor trans individuals who have fallen victim to hate crimes.
The 10th İstanbul Trans Pride Week Committee sought to distribute traditional lokma desserts in Beşiktaş Square to commemorate trans individuals lost to hate crimes and those driven to suicide.
However, police intervened to prevent the distribution. Officers conducted background checks on trans+ activists, citizens, lokma vendors, and bianet journalist Tuğçe Yılmaz.
Initially citing “sidewalk obstruction” and later claiming the event was “unauthorized,” the police stopped the lokma distribution. Volunteers from the 10th İstanbul Trans Pride Week Committee told bianet that this intervention was a clear act of discrimination.
‘An affront to humanity’
Trans+ activists shared the following statement:
“Distributing lokma to honor deceased loved ones is a widespread tradition in Turkey. Yet today, for the first time, we witnessed intervention against a lokma vendor and the people waiting for it. This is both absurd and unacceptable.
“When the police first saw the vendor, they approached with a casual ‘Good luck, mate.’ But upon learning the lokma was being distributed in memory of murdered trans individuals, their attitude shifted. They started asking questions like, ‘What’s going on here? What’s the meaning of this event?’ This is an affront to humanity.
“It appears that in Turkey, LGBTI+s are de facto denied the right to mourn or hold traditional activities like distributing lokma for their lost loved ones. While similar events continue uninterrupted elsewhere in İstanbul, our attempt to distribute lokma was stopped, clearly demonstrating discrimination.”
‘Our right to mourn cannot be denied’
“No one can prohibit the right to mourn and remember their loved ones. However, we are fully aware of the transphobic motivations behind this prohibition. The state and law enforcement are essentially saying, ‘You cannot distribute lokma for your deceased loved ones.’ But honoring our lost ones is our right, just as it is for every other citizen.
“This act being blocked simply because it was organized by trans+ individuals is a blatant violation of rights. No one can take this right away from us. What happened today is a tangible example of transphobia. Such an intervention, unique to trans individuals, cannot be explained otherwise.
“This is a profound failure of reasoning and a discriminatory act that will go down in history. That is precisely why all opposition groups must stand united against discriminatory practices targeting LGBTİ+s.”
Later, the committee volunteers were able to distribute lokma in memory of murdered trans individuals at another location in Şişli.
Transgender day of remembrance
Observed annually on November 20, the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR) aims to raise awareness of violence and hate crimes against trans individuals while commemorating those lost.
The day began in 1998 as a response to the murder of trans woman Rita Hester and has since grown into a global movement with events held worldwide.
In addition to commemorating losses, TDoR seeks to educate society about the discrimination, violence, and hate crimes faced by the trans community. It is both a day to celebrate the strength and resilience of trans communities worldwide and an opportunity to remember those lost. (TY/VK)
