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Gay news: She was interrupted while addressing a gender equality conference
Aliye Kavaf
Turkish minister who described homosexuality as 'a disease' is barracked
Gay rights activists have protested in Ankara, Turkey, after one of the country's senior politicians described
homosexuality as "a disease".
Aliye Kavaf, the Minister of State for Women and Family Affairs, had said in March: "I believe homosexuality is a biological disorder. I think it is a disease that needs treatment."
Yesterday, as she was giving a speech at an equal opportunities and gender equality conference, a group of demonstrators barracked her and held up banners that read "Don't hate, apologise".
Kavaf carried on with her speech and the protestors were then silenced and dragged out of the room by men in dark suits, according to Associated Press.
Homosexuality is not illegal in Turkey, but gay people say they lack legal protections and face stigmatisation in the secular but predominantly Muslim country, and have been calling on the government to outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Turkey has been attempting to become a full member of the European Union since 2005.
