Just out., February 20, 2004, Page 13, Image 13

february 20. 2004 • | M t
miTrroninnews
yla Yildirim says she has no hope
of freedom it she is forced to
return to Turkey.
Because her marriage to a
U .S. citizen, C onnie Yildirim, is
not legally recognized, the couple face the threat
of separation if Ayla’s claim for political asylum
is not accepted.
“Anyone (in Turkey] can he arrested for
doing anything that the police believe is against
'Turkish moral code,’ ” Ayla says. “I could he
arrested and tortured just for holding hands or
giving a kiss in public.”
Ayla came to the United States in 1989 on a
student visa to study English. Life in Turkey had
been sheltered for Ayla, the daughter of a Mus­
lim father and Russian O rthodox mother.
Though she studied Muslim religious practices,
she and her brothers were harassed by peers
because of their mother’s faith.
“1 was not allowed much social interaction,”
Ayla says. “I usually just went to schcxil and
came home to help with household chores. 1 was
not allowed to go places by myself, and 1 was not
allowed to go to friends’ houses.”
As a girl, Ayla bucked against societal cus­
toms. She avoided working on embroidery and
craft making for her dowry, chixising instead to
play marbles and football with hoys. Her parents
scolded her for being an “erkek fatma," or
tomboy. They also feared for her safety. “I was
told th a t...I could get raped or something had
could happen to me,” Ayla says.
Coming to the United States has meant the
freedom to he her tme self. Last year Ayla met
Connie, and the two were married at First U n i­
tarian Church of Portland. She now has a job as
a senior inventory control clerk. Her work
authorization, as granted by the Department of
Homeland Security, expires in August.
Unlike heterosexual immigrants who can
become citizens when they marry a U .S. resi­
dent, Ayla has no such privilege because her
spouse is a woman. Her only recourse is to file
for political asylum, which she did in September
2002. Unfortunately, her claim should have
been filed within a year of her arrival in the
United States, a stipulation that she wasn’t
aware of as an 18-year-old.
Political asylum can he sought for five main
reasons: race, religion, political opinion, nation­
al origin and stxrial group (i.e., homosexuals).
Generally, aliens are granted asylum either
because o f persecution suffered in the past or by
presenting enough evidence to prove they
would face persecution upon return.
According to the International Gay and Les­
bian Association, only one queer person from
Turkey has been granted political asylum in the
United States— a gay man in 1996.
Ayla is seeking asylum based on her sexual
S eeking A sylum
Binational lesbian couple confront biased U.S. immigration laws
by M eg D aly
\
ill inrun
.
orientation, political beliefs and the fact that
she’s not Muslim. “1 disagree with many practices
in Turkish government and culture,” she says.
If asylum is granted, she will he eligible to apply
for permanent residence in the United States after
one year. If it is not granted, she could appeal, a
process that would likely he time-consuming,
stressful and expensive.
Ayla says her main support
during the process so far has
been her wife. “She has
helped me so much with love
and encouragement. She has
encouraged me to not give up
in my fight to he free and he
myself.”
The couple have also sought
support and advice from friends and organizations
as well as their lawyer, David N. Shomloo.
Connie says she didn’t know much about
immigrant legal rights before her relatioaship with
Ayla. Her wife’s situation has necessitated a crash
course. “1 (now] know that our immigration laws
are very unfair for gays and lesbians,” G>nnie says.
• Wheel Alignment
503 - 232-3600
2 4 5 4 E. Burnside • Portland, O R 9 7 2 1 4
w w w .fergusonauto.com
Family O w ned & Operated Since 1952
Freuily Serving me SUT Cemmuntty ter 51 Veers
She is urging the queer community to sup­
port House Resolution 832, the Permanent
Partners A ct of 2003. If passed, the hill would
extend marriage rights to immigrants who are
domestic partners of U .S. citizens.
“T his hill is crucial for the gay and lesbian
community, especially for hinational couples,”
C o n n ie
says.
“W ith ou t
change, our com m unity will
continue to face discrim ina­
tory treatm ent under immi­
gration law.”
It has been disillusioning
to C onnie to learn that her
country will extend rights to
— Ayla Yildirim some immigrants and not
others based on sexual orien­
tation. “As a U .S. citizen it is hard for me to
imagine my country sending (AylaJ hack to a
place where she would he harmed and have no
chance of a life of freedom such as we in the
U .S. take for granted,” she says.
T he Yildirims are reluctant to entertain the
thought that Ayla might actually have to leave
"It has taken me almost
15 years to come out as
a lesbian, and I will not
go back into the closet"
• Collision Repair
Problems Solved
¿ /AUTOBODY
j
/
If she is forced to return to Turkey, Ayla Yildirim (right, with partner C onnie) fears police
could arrest and torture her just for holding hands or kissing in public
The Finest Collision Repair.
—
;
J O I N
THE
O N LY
the United States if asylum is not granted. Sep­
aration is not an option, according to Connie. “I
will not allow the discriminatory laws o f this
country to separate me from Ayla. I will go
wherever she goes. I hope and pray that we both
can remain in the U .S. However, my marriage is
not going to end if she is not allowed to remain
h ere.... So if she is returned to Turkey, I will
ultimately be facing the same fears for my safety
and freedom [as she would face).”
Ayla says that if she had to return to Turkey
she would find it impossible to hide her sexuali­
ty. “It has taken me almost 15 years to come out
as a lesbian, and I will not go hack into the clos­
et,” she says. “Turkish society is very oppressive
against gays and lesbians...so [by being out] 1
will be in danger everywhere 1 go.”
Ayla’s fears are not unfounded. As recently as
2002, Turkish queer activists decried the dis­
crimination and violence they face. “We are
subject to humiliation, exclusion, threats and
violence in the houses, streets, schools, work­
places, hospitals, public and private institu­
tions,” they said in a public statement.
Turkey is one of only two N A TO members
that continue to ban gays from their armed
forces. T h e other member is the United States.
According to Lambda Istanbul, “Homosexu­
ality is not a criminal offense in Turkey, hut
some articles of the highly flexible police regula­
tions can he used very easily to ban meetings
and demonstrations on so-called public morality
grounds.”
Gay foreigners are not excluded from harass­
ment in Turkey, either. In 2000, Turkish police
barred about 800 mostly U .S. gay tourists from
visiting sites near the Aegean port of Kusadasi.
Ayla’s asylum interview has been set for
March 2. Her lawyer has told her it will likely he
a tough claim to get through, in large part because
it was filed so late. She will receive word of the
decision within a few weeks of the interview.
“I am scared,” says Ayla, plainly. She is being
treated for anxiety disorder related to the stress
of her case.
“I don’t think either one of us is emotionally
prepared for the interview,” C onnie adds. “We
k ith feel overwhelmed with the situation and
the possible outcome. I just hope that the com ­
munity will help us not only financially hut with
emotional support, prayers and ideas akiut how
to continue our efforts.’ ’ j n
Donations to offset legal fees for the A yla YlLOIRIM
case and possible appeals can he sent to P.O. Box
6092, Beaverton, OR 97007. She and her partner,
Connie, can he contacted at hluesky3270@aol.com
or nurainhoui555@ aol.com .
Features Editor M eg D aly can be reached at
megdaly@jus tout. com .
LISTING OF
I
W O M A N - O W N E D OR
BUSINESSES
MANAGED
IN T H E
M ETRO
AREA
N O W A C C E P T I N G L I S T I N G S F O R T H E 2004 D I R E C T O R Y
• Tires
• Oil Changes
• Break'in Repairs
O
’ S
c o n n e c tin g
w o m e n
IRECTORY
in o u r c o m m u n i t y
M
E
N
nwwomensdirectory.com
3 6 0 . 750.1622
13