Turkey Prepares to Strike Against LGBTQ+ Rights

The constitutional committee in the Turkish parliament has accepted a draft bill for a constitutional amendment that defines the conditions for the validity of marriage, which would prevent same-sex marriage. To reinforce the rejection of same-sex marriage, the title of the first clause of Article 41 of the constitution has been changed from "Protection of the rights of the family and the child" to "Protection of the family and marriage and the rights of the child." The clause states that the family is the foundation of society, adding a requirement for the validity of marriage. The proposal redefines marriage as "can only be established through the union of a man and a woman." The legislative proposal is considered legally acceptable following Turkey's withdrawal from the "Istanbul Convention," which requires the government to protect LGBTQ+ individuals, alongside women's rights. Protests from the LGBTQ+ community are expected in Turkey regarding the constitutional amendment.