Twenty-six year old Ahmet Yildiz, described as "Turkey's gay poster boy," was shot and killed last week. And his friends suspect a so-called honor killing:

His friends believe Mr Yildiz was the victim of the country's first gay honor killing.

"He fell victim to a war between old mentalities and growing civil liberties," says Sedef Cakmak, a friend and a member of the gay rights lobby group Lambda. "I feel helpless: we are trying to raise awareness of gay rights in this country, but the more visible we become, the more we open ourselves up to this sort of attack."
…
So-called "honor killings" continue to be a grim reality wherever conservative social mores resist the rule of law.

In Turkey, a recent government study estimated that around 1,000 honor killings have been committed in the past five years. The victims are mostly young women, murdered by male relatives for transgressing chauvinistic social rules.

Yildiz's death is but one example of growing anti-gay sentiment in Turkey. The government earlier this year dissolved gay group Lambda Istanbul for its "immoral" behavior, a move that garnered the nation plenty of criticism. But apparently cultural evolution's going to take a bit more than finger-wagging…

Human Rights Watch continues to turn the heat up on Turkey. The group yesterday sent out a press release lamenting a Turkish court's decision to dissolve Lambda Istanbul, a gay group the government found to be "immoral." And researcher Emma Sinclair-Webb led the call:

The judge’s arbitrary decision highlights the prejudiced proceedings. If the authorities can close one organization on procedural pretexts, all of civil society is in danger.
…
The Turkish authorities must decide whether nongovernmental organizations are fair game for harassment, or full partners in a free society. Promotion of tolerance and respect for civil society by the Turkish government is key.

While it's bad enough that Turkey continues to come down on its queers, the nation has been itching for entry into the European Union. The Union, however, requires members to treat all citizens equally.

But, then again, the Union could just be talking turkey.

As Human Rights Watch takes on the Turkish government, the nation's queer citizens have been taking to the street. About 100 activists marched in Turkey's first ever gay pride last Saturday, again proving that we gays can flourish in almost any political climate. So versatile!

But, of course, there were a few hiccups for the parade through Ankara, Turkey's capital:

The march encountered minor difficulty. The police, who outnumbered the demonstrators, stopped the march and demanded that the rainbow flags and banners be taken down.

Marchers agreed and were then allowed to continue.

Well, it's a start…

Human Rights Watch puts more pressure on Turkey this morning.

The non-profit last month demanded that the nation cease-and-desist its anti-gay ways. Apparently the Turkish government didn't meet HRW's expectations, because they've today released a 123-page report highlighting human rights abuses against the homos.

In addition to compiling a startling collection of violence - like trans people being raped by cops - HRW's urging the European Union to withhold Turkey's membership until they've cleaned up their act.

CONTINUED »

Human Rights Watch ain't monkeying around with Turkey.

The international non-profit today blasted the nation's government for an April raid on gay group Lambda Istanbul. On April 7th, Turkish officials reportedly raided Lambda's main base on grounds that the group "facilitates prostitution, acts as a go-between [and] provides a place for [prostitution]." Then, ten days later, Lambda was in court defending itself against the government's immorality charges. Now, HRW's coming out to fight for the gays.

Said activist Scott Long:

What’s really immoral is the Istanbul authorities’ campaign against Lambda Istanbul for protecting the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. The government should reform laws that allow officials to harass groups like Lambda Istanbul in order to guarantee everyone’s human rights.

The government, we're sure, couldn't care less…

A Turkish judge postponed the trial against Lambda Istanbul. The legal brouhaha began when Governor Muammer Güler accused the gay group of violating the nation's constitutional, familial "morality". Lawyer Firat Söyle calls Güler's assessment garbage:

The association is the expression of an organisation, an institution which has been formed in order to make people's voices heard. The governor's 'moral' justification can be interpreted very widely, and it is unacceptable in Turkish law and international conventions that a legally formed association could be closed for that reason.

The trial, which was meant to start yesterday, has been pushed back to January 31st.

Though not technically illegal, homosexuality in Turkey remains largely taboo. Perhaps it's for this reason that coppers nabbed 18 gay activists for "prostitution". Or perhaps there's more to the story. Turkish Daily News reports:

Eighteen members of the "Rainbow Association," an association for transvestites, transsexuals, gays, and lesbians in Bursa were taken into custody on Saturday on charges of "forming a gang to commit crimes, being an associate with a gang, and inciting prostitution."

CONTINUED »

It's no picnic being gay in Turkey. While homosexuality isn't technically illegal, many of the nation's Muslims disapprove of same-sex love. And so, too, does the governor of Istanbul. Muammer Güler ordered the public prosecutor to file charges against Lambda Istanbul, a gay advocacy group.

Using the Turkish Civil Code as a foundation, the governor contends that Lambda Istanbul challenges both law and morality.

CONTINUED »

Australia ain't the only country with homos only establishment. Turkey's Planet Victorya, which opens in July, stands as the nation's first queers only accommodations.

The inn's manager, Faruk Ok explains:

There are several gay-friendly hotels in Turkey, but ours is the first to be 100 percent gay and lesbian. It will not accept guests outside this concept. [But] part of the personnel is also gay or lesbian.

What? You won't let straights stay there, but they can work there? That's stupid. If you're going to discriminate, you should do it right. Or, better yet, not at all..

If the owner's are hellbent on banning heteros, we can't help but wonder how they'll weed them out. Does one have to suck dick to get a room, or something?

Torn between religious tradition and political modernity, Turkey's a queer case study of gay rights. Situated on the cusp of both Europe and the Middle East, the secular nation has made many a liberal stride in recent years. In an effort to align with European Union norms, Turkish officials legalized homosexuality, thus allowing thousands of queers to come out without fear of government-endorsed punishment.

Despite these official moves, activists say there's still more work to be done.

CONTINUED »

• Thats right folks! You can own a piece of history - hooker-turned-activist Mike Jones is auctioning off his old massage table. And, no, he's not keeping the money - it's going to charity. The current asking price's $500. Someone out there must be willing to top that…get it? [eBay]

• We wanted to post the music video for M's New Wave classic, "Pop Muzik", but some schmuck disabled its embedding code. So you're just going to have to watch it the new fashioned way. [YouTube]

• Speaking of YouTube - Turkey lifted its silly ban. [The Age]

• GLAAD has officially entered the war against Ann Coulter, but have the tides already turned? [San Francisco Chronicle]

• Patrick Letellier may not like running, but that didn't stop him from trotting along to fight AIDS. [MSNBC]

• Anglican priest Shawn Sanford Beck may have lost his job for supporting gay-marriage, but he's not about to change his mind. Well, done, Beck. Sorry about the job thing, though. Think about it this way - you're a total martyr. [Winnipeg Sun]

• Fuck! We totally missed trans activist and professor Jenny Boylan's appearance on All My Children! [TMZ]

• Egads! A British man lost sight in one eye after a gay attack. [Gay UK]

• Down-low: the myth that would not die… [Slate]

Boy, those Turkish do take their history seriously. They've banned YouTube after some Greek jokesters made a video implying Turkey's founding president, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, likes boys. Making fun of Ataturk's strictly forbidden in Turkey. Refusing to rise above, a Turkish citizen suggested that homosexuality started in Greek - a somewhat valid point, actually.

A Turkish spokesperson at the London Embassy said the government has nothing to say about the matter:

The videos included parts which insulted Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, our founding father. There is no explanation from the Turkish government, it was a court verdict. English profanities were placed on top of the Turkish flag and pictures of Ataturk.

Wait, the profanities were in English? Uh-oh…

This story got us to thinking - we wonder if we're banned in Turkey. We have a feeling we probably are…hey, any Turks out there??

• Some queer Star Trek super fans are looking to recreate a gay episode barred by producers. They're so deep in this shit, they even got the original writer to direct their younger, twinkier remake. Wow. [AfterElton]

• The death of a local fag rag: Sonoma's We The People shutters after 18 years. [The Bay Area Reporter]

• One a related note: Turkish fag-rag editor Umut Guner has been acquitted on charges of "peddling pornography". His fag-rag? Totally deemed obscene. Sentence: delivery in brown envelope. Tough break. [Pink News UK]

• Is this video of Nina Simone's "My Baby Just Cares For Me" racist? We can't tell. [YouTube]

• Christ-loving Pepperdine University won't recognize a gay club. Now the club's being forced to associate with those heathens at Malibu chapter. Jesus just rolled over in his grave. [The Graphic]

&bull: Here's another question: will the CIA let Warner Brothers make a movie about former CIA operative Valerie Plame and former ambassador hubby, Joseph Wilson? Our answer: only if it's fiction. [Eat The Press]