Cover Image of “The Signs in Ourselves: Exploring Queer Muslim Courage”, written and compiled by Liy Yusof, with art and design by Dhiyanah Hassan. Cover image shows a rainbow with clouds on either end, with …
Read the full story »Read the full statement below, and download the PDF to share here:
4 February 2021
The Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR) expresses our solidarity with the people of Turkey who are fighting to ensure that freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and association, and the broader human rights of LGBTIQ+ peoples are respected. We are deeply alarmed by the repression of academic freedoms and escalating violence at Boğaziçi University in recent days. This includes the shutting down of the LGBTIQ+ Club on campus,[1] the arrests of hundreds of students and activists, targeting specifically LGBTIQ+ students and all LGBTIQ+ community, and the increasing militarization of campus through continued police presence.
Commitments to freedom of expression, and freedom of peaceful assembly and association are cornerstones of democratic societies, ensuring exchange of ideas, pluralism, and dialogue across the diversity of peoples of any given nation. Under a false pretext of shoring up “national security”, the AKP government has increasingly acted to silence public debate and critique across universities, beginning with mass evacuations, taking administrative or judicial action against professors voicing critical views, and the continued incarceration of academics, students and intellectuals over the last few years.[2]
This escalating violence in the sphere of higher education over the years, has also had a deeply chilling effect on freedom of expression, freedom of association, and human rights across wider social spheres in Turkey. The most recent events at Boğaziçi University, and the statements from those in power–including the government appointed University Rector, the Minister of Interior Affairs, and the President as well–are deeply disturbing, considering they attempt to justify the restrictions of academic freedoms, and the rights of LGBTIQ+ people specifically, in the name of Islamic values.[3]
In a public statement President Erdogan targeted LGBTIQ+’s for the protests and denied LGBTIQ+ existence in Turkey, saying that LGBTIQ+ existence is not in accordance with Turkish national and religious values. We as feminists and LGBTIQ+ people living in Muslim societies affirm and restate unequivocally that LGBTIQ+ peoples have always existed within Muslim societies and across the world, and will continue to exist. The manipulation of religious ideology to deny fundamental human rights, either by state or non-state actors, cannot ever be condoned.
The Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies is deeply concerned for the security and safety of our friends and allies, who are organizing and living within a climate of fear and insecurity, with no protection or recourse from the judicial or legal systems in place.
We call upon the Turkish government to ensure the exercise of independent thought and freedom of expression and association in the country, in line with its human rights obligations and constitution.
We affirm sexual and bodily integrity, freedom of expression and freedom of religion and belief are fundamental rights of all people, regardless of their gender, citizenship, class, age, mental and physical ability, religion, marital status, ethnic identity, sexual orientation, and sex characteristics. We stand in unequivocal support of LGBTIQ+ people in Turkey, and their fundamental rights to live with dignity and free from persecution and violence.
We amplify the call from the people of Turkey, for the international community to raise awareness, issue statements of solidarity, and spread the news of what is happening globally.
#LGBTİHaklarıİnsanHaklarıdır #AsagiBakmayacagiz #WeWillNotLookDown
Signed,
Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR)
_________________________________
Notes:
1. Melih Bulu shut off the Boğaziçi LGBTI+ Studies Club!
2. Middle East Studies Association
3. Slander, investigations, and hate campaigns against LGBTI+’s at Boğaziçi University
We are excited to open the call for the latest in CSBR’s series of community spaces for Queer Muslims, this time on Life Cycles & Ritual Leadership!
Over eight weeks we’ll explore basic Muslim rituals, distinctively …
Cover Image of “The Signs in Ourselves: Exploring Queer Muslim Courage”, written and compiled by Liy Yusof, with art and design by Dhiyanah Hassan. Cover image shows a rainbow with clouds on either end, with …
To mark international Human Rights Day, and the close of the 16 Days Of Activism 2020, we share this urgent call to action, for the protection and support of women human rights defenders (WHRDs) in …
“At Inclusive Bangladesh, we envision to create an inclusive Bangladeshi society where every citizen will be a resource for safe-guarding each-other’s human rights and peaceful living. Our work and effort circulate in promoting gender equality, …
Government crackdown against women human rights defenders (WHRDs) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has consistently intensified during 2020. Governments have systematically restricted civic space & shut down organizations, and they’re increasingly …
Watch this improvised contemporary performance exploring authentic body movement and self expression. How does it speak to you?
This video was created by feminist activists across Central Asia who are exploring embodiment as part of …
Cyber Hygiene (or digital hygiene) is a term that can be defined as a set of good simple daily routine practices, which individuals undertake to ensure the correct use of any devices that are connected …
Every 9 November communities around the world come together in celebration of sexual and bodily rights as human rights, as part of the One Day One Struggle! campaign, coordinated by the Coalition for Sexual and Bodily …
“Rest assured that we have heard your important message, and as we update our guidance and approach to COVID-19, we will ensure that the specific challenges of LGBTQI communities will be recognized and addressed“. – …
CSBR has opened the call for application for the third in our series of “Befriending the Quran” community courses for queer Muslims, this time on Surah Maryam
Apply by 16 October here: http://bit.ly/QQ3_SurahMaryam
𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 …
In solidarity with the women’s movement in Turkey, and feminist efforts all over to prevent, address and end violence against women and girls.
Watch this animated video from Women for Women’s Human Rights — New …
CSBR is pleased to offer a new discussion-based course on “Gender, Sexuality, Islam & Science”, for those keen to bridge philosophical, academic and personal perspectives on these themes to advance a holistic understanding of faith …
We are so excited to share with you Creating CARE and Sustaining Well-Being: Reflections from Queer Organizing across South and Southeast Asia!
A collaborative endeavor by Rima Athar, Liy Yusof and Sonaksha Iyengar–this publication illustrates …
In 2019, Meem Muslim Initiative and Bedaaya collaborated on a project on Islam and queer identities. We share some of the fact sheets and resources they produced below in Arabic and English, which explore the …
The CSBR Rights and Resilience seed grants aim to support small scale projects that experiment with alternative ways to organize and advance rights amidst the impacts of COVID-19. We are inviting proposals for projects to …
Melalui dana hibah Hak dan Ketahanan (Rights and Resilience), CSBR bermaksud untuk mendukung proyek-proyek berskala kecil yang didesain dengan cara-cara alternatif untuk memperkuat hak-hak individu di tengah dampak COVID-19. Kami mengundang anda untuk mengajukan proposal …
CSBR Haklar ve Dayanıklılık çekirdek hibeleri, COVID-19 pandemisinin yarattığı etkiler bağlamında örgütlenme ve hak geliştirmenin alternatif yollarını bulmaya çalışan küçük ölçekli projeleri desteklemeyi hedefliyor.
Neden böyle bir mekanizmaya ihtiyaç duyduk?
Komünite temelli uluslararası bir dayanışma ağı olarak …
To mark IDAHOBIT 2020, GAYa NUSANTARA (GN), with the Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR, and the Global Interfaith Network (GIN), hosted a historical webinar entitled “Bringing Progressive Faith Voices …