Turkish authorities shut down Istanbul exhibition on trans history

An exhibition focusing on transgender history in Turkey was forced to close by authorities in Istanbul. Titled Turn and See Back: Revisiting Trans Revolutions in Turkey, the show opened at Depo Istanbul on 26 June. According to organizers, a district governor issued a notice alleging the exhibition provoked public hatred. Depo, a non-profit cultural venue, occupies a renovated former tobacco warehouse in central Istanbul and was established in 2008. Its founder, Osman Kavala, was arrested in 2017 on charges related to the 2013 Gezi Park protests and the 2016 coup attempt, receiving a life sentence in 2022 despite a European Court of Human Rights release order. This direct ban by Turkish authorities is unusual for exhibitions in the country. The action aligns with Turkey's hardening position on LGBTQ+ issues under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has labeled queer communities as 'deviants' threatening family structures. Kaya Genç notes increasing verbal and physical violence against LGBTQ groups and bans on Pride and Trans marches since Erdoğan's presidency. With his reelection, the future for Turkey's LGBTQ community remains uncertain.