LGBTI+ family groups denounce age restriction on 'rainbow-themed products'

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Several LGBTI+ family groups have denounced a Ministry of Trade decision to impose an age restriction on LGBTI+ products.

"The claim that products and symbols that are related to our children's existence will harm children's development is harming the development of our children and deeply hurting them," says a joint statement by the groups.

The ministry announced yesterday (December 9) that "LGBTI+ and rainbow-themed products" will only be sold with an "18 plus" warning at online retailers.

It said the decision was given after "many complaints from consumers" and intended to "protect children's development."

A government decision should not be based on such "ambiguous and subjective" reasons but on scientific principles, the LGBTI+ families groups said in the statement.

"The is no single decision by medical authorities that LGBTI+ and rainbow themes negatively affect children's development," they said, adding that medical organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Turkish Medical Association (TTB), have stated that LGBTI+ is not a disease or an extraordinary situation.

"Official organizations who take into account WHO statements on the coronavirus pandemic ignore them when it comes to LGBTI+.

"Turkey has been a member of the WHO since 1949 and we as the parents of LGBTI+s want the state to comply with the decisions of this organization and stop portraying our children as individuals that are harmful to the society and making them targets."

The groups noted the decision will further encourage homophobia and transphobia, which are already "promoted by various state institutions."

"Our children are neither alone nor wrong. As parents, we will defend the rights of our children together with them," they added.

The statement was signed by the Ankara Rainbow Families Association, the LGBTI+ Families and Relatives Association, the Akdeniz-Antalya Families Association, the Denizli LGBTI+ Families Group and the İzmir LGBTI+ Families Group. (EMK/VK)