Is it illegal to be gay in turkey

In Turkey, homosexuality has been decriminalized, and transgender people have been able to legally change their gender since However, there are still legal challenges, and discrimination protections have not yet been legislated fully for sexual orientation and gender identity.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in Turkey face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents, though the overall situation is considered to be less repressive when compared to most other Muslim-majority countries.

Turkey does not legally recognize same-sex marriages, civil unions or domestic partnership benefits. Censorship of LGBT issues in Turkey is state-enforced. Since , pride parades and related public events are blocked in Turkey, with law enforcement intervening.

Unlike many majority-Muslim nations, homosexuality is legal in Turkey, and despite political hate speech, tolerance is often the norm in urban areas like Istanbul.