Istanbul LGBTQ Pride
Before The Crackdown Began
Before visiting Turkey in 2011, I knew that it was very difficult for a lot of people living in the secular Muslim country, especially women and the LGBTQ community.
So I was surprised when I was out doing a bit of Sunday shopping along Istanbul’s busy Istiklal Caddesi and emerged from a store to find myself right in the middle of a large Gay Pride march. I did not expect it and had no idea it was being held.
This march wasn’t like the usual parades in the west with floats and music, this one was more like a protest demonstration but with some fun and a little flair.
After doing some research, I learned that the first Pride demonstration was held in Istanbul in 2003 when only 30 people showed up, and in 2011, which was the 19th Pride celebration in the city (the year after I saw it)…
