'HANG YOURSELF AND SAVE US THE TROUBLE!': LGBT YOUTH, FROM SOCIAL EXCLUSION TO SUICIDE

• Published in: Alternatif politika Vol. 7; no. 1; pp. 143 - 167
• Main Authors: Erdogan, Baris, Koten, Esra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Turkish
• Published: 01.04.2015
• Subjects: Discrimination; Family Violence; Family Work Relationship; Harassment; Narratives; Repression (Political); Social Closure; Suicide; Youth
• ISSN: 1309-0593; 1309-0593

While various sexual orientations may lead to social exclusion, social exclusion, in return, may indirectly lead to suicide. Both in Turkey and the world in general, this mentioned phenomenon and the proposed correlation is depicted rather clearly when one looks at the social exclusion and harassment to which the LGBT youth is subjected to and the subsequent high rates of suicide. As a consequence of the social and individual discrimination, repression and at times even the violence they are exposed to in either the family, educational institutions, work environment or public life in general, LGBT youth experiences considerable difficulty in social integration and acceptance in social strata in general, whereby they seek ultimate refuge and escape in suicide. In this paper, the relationship between sexual orientation and the fact of suicide will be discussed with a sociological perspective, utilizing Durkheim's theoretical approach, various research results in the literature and actual narratives left behind by LGBT youth who ultimately chose to commit suicide. Adapted from the source document.