Transphobic discrimination: Göksu Başaran not given a house

"Women not fitting into binary gender system exist" (by csgorselarsiv/Şehlem Kaçar)

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

Actress and producer Göksu Başaran was looking for a flat to rent. She called the owner of a house that she saw on "sahibinden.com" online shopping platform for real estate and vehicles. The man who placed the ad Serkan C. told her, "I don't give a house to transvestites."

The man insistently asked for the ID Card of Göksu Başaran, he did not accept her driving license. Başaran did not send him her ID card; then came the transphobic statements of Serkan C.

Başaran says that she was in contact with the person who placed the ad all through the process and he said that he would give her the house, adding that he then verbally attacked her gender identity in a mocking tone. Başaran has lashed out at what she has been going through.

'What century do we live in?'

Başaran says that she has filed a complaint against Serkan C. by applying to the Presidency's Communication Center (CİMER).

"The LGBTI+phobic people have been encouraged upon the withdrawal from the İstanbul Convention," she notes.

She tells bianet what she went through:

"I had been staying with a friend for a year, s/he opened me her/his house. And I wanted to rent a flat for myself. I had been searching for a house on sahibinden.com website since June 11, Friday.

"I saw this ad. Not a real estate agent, but the owner of the house himself placed the ad. We were in contact with this gentleman. Then, he asked me for my ID. And I sent him my driver's licence. I have not yet changed my ID card, I didn't want to send it for this reason. I underwent gender affirmation surgery, but the legal proceedings are still ongoing for the ID.

"The gentleman insistently said to me, 'Don't you have an ID?' As I didn't send it, he said to me, 'I talked to another person, they will rent it.'

"I responded, 'Five minutes ago, you told me that you would give me the house. What happened five minutes later that you are not giving it now? Is there something wrong? Why have you given up?' He said, as if mocking me, 'I don't give a house to transvestites.'

"I said, 'I might be a trans, I might be a transvestite, I might be homosexual. I am not a wrong person. I am a producer, an actress. I want to rent the house as a home-office, I will do my job.' He responded, 'I am not giving it. Doesn't the house belong to me?' He hung up on me.

"I am really sick and tired of discrimination and being otherized in this country. We are begrudged living like humans."

'The website must make a statement'

Upon what she went through, sahibinden.com apologized to Başaran and removed the ad. She says that she is expecting a message of apology on social media. "I am upset," says Başaran, talking about how she has been psychologically affected by this process. She adds:

"I definitely experienced some minor incidents, but it is the first time that I have been going through something like this. I am not a person who wants to be known for such things. I cannot find a sponsor for my series, I have suffered several unfortunate incidents over and over again.

"When this happened in addition to all these, I said to myself, 'No matter what happens, even if I am subjected to a social media lynching, I have to share this.' Normally, I don't like to post what I live through. There is enough negative news. But I shared this. Because I am upset.

"I called sahibinden.com after the incident and complained about the ad. They removed the ad of the gentleman. I told them about my situation. When it was shared on social media and the account of sahibinden.com was mentioned in those messages, the company started to call me.

"They told me, 'We extend our apologies as a company. We will warn this person and close his profile if such complaints continue.'

"So, they haven't closed the profile, they have only made a warning. How true is that? I don't know that, either. But I would like them to make a statement. Is it really enough that they called me?

"It must be shared on social media. We are already in the Pride Month. A message of apology is necessary. The people following the website take their stand accordingly. It mustn't be limited to a warning. The accounts of such people must be closed to never let them there again.

'Government's phobic policies encourage people'

"I filed a complaint by applying to CİMER. I am also in contact with the Social Policies, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation Studies Association (SPoD). Because I need support. I have been having tough times for 2 years. I cannot work. The mainstream media already doesn't give us a space. Then came the pandemic, which has made me all the more unable to work.

"These people are encouraged by the transphobic policies of the government. LGBTI+phobia is political. LGBTI+phobic people have been encouraged upon the withdrawal from the İstanbul Convention. Such incidents are occurring more frequently now." (BS/EMK/SD)