Turkey Mulls Stricter Measures Against LGBT Content

Turkey Moves to Tighten Regulations Against LGBTQ+ Activities

Turkish authorities are preparing a series of stringent legal measures aimed at restricting what the government describes as the influence of “LGBT deviants” on young people, according to recent reports in Turkish media.

The Justice Ministry is spearheading these efforts with proposals that include a three-year prison sentence for individuals engaged in what officials term “pro-LGBT propaganda.” This measure, previously introduced to Parliament, is now being expanded as part of a broader initiative focused on preserving traditional family structures and moral values in Turkish society.

Among the most severe proposals is a four-year prison term for anyone involved in organizing or participating in same-sex wedding ceremonies. While same-sex marriages are already not legally recognized in Turkey, this new measure would explicitly criminalize even symbolic ceremonies.

The government is also seeking to raise the minimum age for gender reassignment surgeries from 18 to 25 years. The proposed legislation would implement a rigorous approval process, requiring court authorization and comprehensive medical evaluations. Individuals seeking gender reassignment would need to undergo four separate examinations by medical boards, spaced at least three months apart, to obtain the necessary health report.

Those who perform unauthorized surgeries would face significant penalties, with enhanced punishments if the procedures involve minors. Individuals who undergo gender reassignment surgeries outside the legal framework could face up to three years imprisonment.

These proposed regulations align with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s declaration of 2025 as the “Year of the Family” and reflect growing government concern about population demographics in Turkey. Officials have expressed alarm about an aging population and what they perceive as threats to traditional family structures.

At a recent family summit hosted by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), lawmakers emphasized what they described as dangers to Turkish society. Cüneyt Yüksel, chair of Parliament’s Justice Committee, characterized “LGBT propaganda” as “dynamites that will blow up the future of the Turkish nation,” advocating for stronger legal protections against “online anti-family disinformation campaigns.”

During the same event, AK Party Vice Chair Belgin Uygur pledged to protect the institution of the family “against deviant movements” through constitutional reforms, placing the issue “at the center of our politics and policies.”

Government officials have also cited statistics to support their position. Deputy Minister of Family and Social Services Sevim Sayım Madak claimed that approximately 800 gender transitions occurred last year, primarily from female to male, adding that many individuals later regret these decisions by age 25.

The government’s focus extends beyond LGBTQ+ issues to broader concerns about changing family dynamics. Lawmaker Osman Mesten lamented that people are increasingly choosing pets over having children, saying “Instead of having children, people are getting cats and dogs. They dress them in children’s clothes, take them out in strollers and buy them toys.”

Mesten further advocated for shutting down non-governmental organizations that he claimed engage in “LGBT propaganda” while operating under the guise of human rights, women’s rights, or animal rights groups. He also called for stricter regulation of television content through prior review systems rather than post-broadcast penalties.

The proposals have raised concerns among human rights advocates, who view these measures as part of a broader pattern of increasing restrictions on LGBTQ+ rights in Turkey, a country that straddles traditional conservative values and secular principles established in its modern founding.