Istanbul set to celebrate Pride Week

The colors of the rainbow will be splashed across Istanbul this week with panels, workshops, forums, screenings, an awards ceremony and a colorful parade, all under the auspices of the 23rd Istanbul Pride Week, one of the anticipated highlights of the summer. "If you're not here, we're missing one" has heretofore been the slogan of the event; now, however, it has become "If you're not here, we're missing many," with a focus on the theme of "normal." 

"We are refusing to fit the 'normal,'" said the Pride Week Committee in its call. "Not because of nature, nor because of any disease. We are not normal! We are not accepting it! We are neither wrong, nor we are alone. We refuse to accept the stoic norms or what is called 'normal.'"

The Pride Week Committee is a group of independent activists and volunteers who are taking the burdensome yet inspiring job of organizing the week-long events culminating with the Pride Parade. They have chosen to answer Hürriyet Daily News' questions collectively, not giving a specific name in line with the ethos of the group organizing Istanbul Pride Week.

While the Lambdaistanbul LGBTI Solidarity Association has been the major player in the history of the Pride Week, now it's a more independent and collaborative effort. "Each year, there is an open call to set the organizing committee. It's a team consisting of volunteers, where there is no hierarchical structure and where decisions are taken together," said the committee. 

History of the Istanbul Pride Week

The week has many events in the offing, so much must be done to get ready. "We need as many volunteers as possible from designing the brochures to creating banners and organizing the Genetically Modified Tomato Awards [for high-profile...