Definition

1. Dimensions of Discrimination against LGBT Individuals in Workplaces in Turkey and Suggested Solutions for Eliminating DiscriminationElif Tuğba DOĞAN, PhDAnkara University- TURKEYedogan@politics.ankara.edu.tr

2. Definition • Nowadays, work maintains a central position in people’s lives. Like race, gender, age, religion and ethnicity, sexual orientation can also result in discrimination in workplaces. Discrimination in the workplace pushes people to hide their sexual orientation or leads to marginalization in the labor market in Turkey. • Field research indicates that LGBT individuals are subject to isolation, alienation, dismissal, not being found eligible for employment, mobbing, harassment, insults and stigmatization in the workplace. (KAOS GL, 2009:5)

3. Research Method • Semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions. • Questions about different stages of an individual’s working life: such as hiring, promotion and dismissal. • The interviews were conducted with 8 LGBT individuals (pseudonyms are used), and with one specialist from the Turkish Ministry of Labor. • With 4 lesbian individuals, 2 gay individuals, and 2 transsexual individuals. • During my research, I didn’t encounter any individuals who identified themselves as bisexuals.

4. Burcu (20 yrs, student,lesbian) Gökçe (38 yrs, masseuse, lesbian) Canan (30 yrs,cook, lesbian) Duygu(55 yrs, retired, lesbian) Bülent (35 yrs, white-collar worker, gay) Okan (25 yrs, engineer, gay Pelin (40 yrs, sex worker (ex-teacher), trans) Bahar (56 yrs, retired, sex worker, trans) Sample

5. When looking at work experiences, LGBT individuals do not constitute a homogenized group. Therefore, for this reason, transsexual and transvestite individuals are examined separately in this research. • It is possible to categorize discriminatory practices towards LGB individuals in working life in three stages: • Application process • Work Environment • End of employment

6. Application process: • Burcu (20 yrs) stated that she hid her sexual orientation during her internship application and job interview out of fear that she would not be found eligible otherwise. Similarly, Okan (25) and Bulent (35) both stated that they chose to hide their sexual orientation during job interviews. • It is important to note that even though it may not be possible for the employer to define the sexual orientation of the potential employee at the application stage, interviewees still said that they chose to hide their orientation. • Thus, given the existing social stigma and pressure, LGB individuals are in a way forced to hide their sexual orientation even before starting their work experience. • On the other hand, in another research work, it is mentioned that a lesbian interviewee was verbally insulted by an employer who found her walking style masculine when she entered the interview room for the job interview. Consequently she was not hired for the job. • In total 4 of the interviewees stated that they hide their sexual orientation when applying for a job, suggesting that it is more possible for LGB individuals to pass to the next stage, that of being employed, if they are less visible.

7. Work Environment • During working life, individuals may be subject to discrimination by employers, colleagues and/or customers/clients, just like during the application process. • Burcu, Okan and Duygu (55) chose not to disclose their orientations at work after they are employed. They said that because their sexual orientation was less visible they don’t believe they faced any discrimination. • On the other hand, Bulent, who was on the academic staff at a university, disclosed his sexual orientation after being employed for a time saying that he wanted to freely express himself. Following this, he started to face discriminatory treatment. First he was beaten by conservative students. After the assault was reported in the national media, he was given a warning by the university management, which asked him to change his physical appearance. Gradually, in order to decrease his visibility in terms of sexual orientation, he started to be given less duties by the university management. Bulent, in his second job at a left-wing trade union, again faced similar discrimination by the union management due to his sexual orientation.

8. Work Environment • In this instance, the more he tried to be visible, the more he was forced to be invisible by his employer. • Another example of a person who disclosed their sexual orientation at work was Canan who was harassed by neighboring shop owners. • The only exception was Gokce who is a self-employed masseuse. She states that she has no problem in terms of visibility in her work life, nor did she report that she faces discrimination from her clients. • In a report published by Turkish LGBT NGO, KAOS GL titled “Sexual Orientation Discrimination in Working Life”, 2009, other types of discrimination faced by LGB individuals are identified as being forced to do overtime work (because they are not married), verbal harassment, insults, blackmail, being denied promotion and exclusion. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that the more visible they are, the more discrimination LGB individuals are subjected to at work.

9. End of employment • One of the interviewees who said she is visible in terms of her sexual orientation at work, Canan (a cook), stated that even though she didn’t have any problems at work, from her colleagues or employer, she was dismissed from her job due to the pressures of the neighboring shop owners. • Bulent, as a result of the discriminatory practices and pressures he faced at work, had to resign from his job at the university. • Even though homosexuality is not a legally valid reason for dismissing a person from work, for government employees the concept of “life style incompatible with public service” is frequently used as a reason for ending a work contract. It has been observed that a majority of individuals who face discrimination at work and left their jobs or were dismissed due to discriminatory practices are reluctant to take legal action. The reason for not seeking a judicial solution is that usually they fear becoming more visible.

10. Transsexual & Transvestite Individuals • Transsexual and transvestite individuals have different types of work experiences in Turkey. Alongside homophobia, due to transphobia they are more subject to physical violence and hate crimes. This violence pushes transsexual and transvestite individuals into a limited area in the labor market which is informal sex work. • Many of them work without social security. They are also subject to pressures by security forces, society in general, and their clients. They are considered to be ‘immoral’ by society: sex work is not accepted as a profession in Turkey. • Pelin (40), who is a sex worker, stated that unlike transsexual and transvestite individuals in Europe, in Turkey there are no other alternatives in order to earn a living. She also stated that transsexual and transvestite people have been present in Turkey for many years; however ever since the transsexual and transvestite movement has grown in Turkey, the pressure from police has increased.

11. Solutions • In order to increase their inclusion in the labor market and to eliminate the discriminatory practices they face at work, there should be certain legal safeguards, combined, essentially, with political support. • Accession to the European Union has been a driving force for legislative changes in Turkey. However, there are still no direct projects by public institutions for LGBT individuals. The specialist from the Ministry of Labor who prepares projects for disadvantaged groups stated that high ranking officials are not sensitive toward the subject, and they even sometimes tend to avoid using the word ‘homosexual’. Therefore it is suggested that measures to raise awareness should start from the level of policy makers. • Raising awareness about homosexuality and the fact that it is not an illness should also be included in the education system. • The more this matter is discussed in Turkey, the more society will come closer to a possible solution. That’s why an organized campaign by homosexuals with the support of heterosexuals will be important. • Furthermore, Turkish lawmakers, policy implementors, academians, trade unions and NGOs should collaborate and work to raise awareness.

12. THANK YOU... Elif Tuğba Doğan Ankara University, Faculty of Political Science, Department of Labor Economics & Industrial Relationsedogan@politics.ankara.edu.tr