interesting radio programme

ravenclawseekergirl

BBC Radio 4 has a programme called Crossing Countries- The Pink Certificate. I just wondered whether anyone else listened to it.

psiphiorg

Based on the title, I'd guess it is about issues that come up with cross-national same-sex couples and immigration. Am I right?

What did you think of the show?

ravenclawseekergirl

I apologise for my inability to explain things very well!
The show was about Turkey's attitude to Gay men in the military. Basically in Turkey they have national conscription and all men are expected to do their time in the army. The only ways to get out of it are to have a disability or be gay (therefore being able to apply for the pink certificate which makes them exempt from service). The country is very patriotic and those who dont do their bit are looked down upon.
Basically In Turkey being gay is legal, but the army don't want gay people in it. Due to conscription gay men are forced to either try and hack it in the army pretending to be straight, apply for the certificate or go to jail. When applying for the certificate you would have to provide 'proof' of the fact that you were gay...what this proof needs to be seems to change depending on who you see.
The presenter talked to various men who had applied for exemption, one of whom went to a meeting in a military place dressed in what he called a stereotypical way, another who had to provide a picture of him kissing another man and another who had had to provide a picture of himself and his partner having sex.
That bit was the most uncomfortable to listen to, he was so obviously upset about it. I just couldn't imagine how i would feel if that was something i had to do to avoid being sent to prison. Plus they were all very young when this happened and i feel that they were vulnerable and kind of taken advantage of... (I'm not very good at getting what i want to say across...)

They also talked to a man who had refused to get the certificate and who had gone to jail because he hadn't joined the army and he talked about why he had chosen to do so and the respect he had for people who did apply for it.

I didn't catch the whole thing so there was about another 15 mins after that.
Basically the show made me think of how Britain and other countries have come a long way and despite the things we have yet to sort out, we should remember that people in other countries have it worse than us. For example it's no longer a hanging/burning/stoning offence to be gay or lesbian here...but it still is in some places.

Hope i explained it well enough for you.