The mood at an ordinary symposium organized by various civic groups in mid-May suddenly took a joyous and emotional turn for Turkey’s LGBTQ individuals after a groundbreaking announcement by a prominent leader of the country’s Alevi community, which represents a distinct and often stigmatized branch in Islam.
The surprising announcement came on May 13 at the symposium organized by Alevi organizations in Izmir, with the participation of various civic groups, including representatives of Turkey’s LGBTQ community. Ercan Gecmez, the head of the Haci Bektas Veli Culture Foundation, one of the main Alevi organizations in Turkey, announced that Cemevis — Alevi houses of worship — would begin to offer funeral services to LGBTQ individuals to help them bid their final farewells to loved ones without facing discrimination.
