23/07/2025 | Writer: Yıldız Tar
“Year of the Family” campaign continues to target LGBTI+ people and women.
A new survey by Turkey’s Presidential Communication Center (CİMER) has raised alarm among human rights advocates after listing “combating LGBT” as a proposed public policy to protect the family.
The survey, titled “Year of the Family”, is automatically presented to citizens after they submit any type of inquiry through CİMER’s online system. While it includes typical questions about the role of family in preserving social values, some options in the questionnaire openly single out LGBTI+ people.
One particularly controversial question asks:
“In your opinion, what public policy should be prioritized to protect the family?”
Among the multiple-choice answers is “combating LGBT.” Other options include “promoting marriage,” “increasing birth-related subsidies,” and “expanding family counseling services.”
Notably absent: any mention of combating domestic violence or supporting women’s rights.
Another question, “What do you think harms the family the most?”, offers the answer “global degenderization activities,” echoing conspiracy theories often used to undermine gender equality and queer rights worldwide.
The survey is yet another example of how the so-called Year of the Family initiative is being used to institutionalize anti-LGBTI+ sentiment and marginalize vulnerable groups under the guise of family values.
Tags: human rights
