A Comparative Analysis of State Discourses on Transsexuality in Iran and Turkey

In this paper we comparatively analyse state discourses and policies regarding transsexuality throughout the last three decades in Iran and Turkey. We draw on Turkish, Persian and English resources and explore the topic at hand in two stages. Firstly, we compare the legal frameworks and procedures related to transsexuality in Turkey and in Iran. This include related laws and verdicts. Contrary to the literature that often suggest that Turkish state is more modern, secular and westernised compared to its Iranian counterpart we claim that regarding transsexuality the trajectory is more complicated. We show that in some respects Turkish legal framework is more constraining than enabling the needs of the transsexuals. Secondly we compare the kinds of discourses Turkish and Iranian states draw on, as they respond to issues related with transsexuality. To do this we look at parliamentary debates, statements of related state institutions-and state sponsored NGO’s-, medical and military regulations as well as secondary literature on the issue. We argue that, whilst similar discourses such as; religious discourse, medical discourse, modernity discourse and masculinity discourse are in play in both cases, their influence tend to vary under these two national contexts. We also show that contrary to common belief, “secular” Turkish state uses religious discourse whereas “Islamic” Iranian state uses modernity discourse. Our work contributes to Iran-Turkey comparative studies, which mostly tend to focus on a narrow range of topics such as comparative studies of modernisations during the early modern period and Shi’a Sunni dichotomy. Our work also critically challenges the debates over queer sexuality in Muslim countries, in which Islam is referred to as having the major explanatory power over the discourses as well as deeds of the states and the public.