Queer literature in Turkish translation (1928-2020)

While not necessarily encompassing direct references to LGBTQ+ identities, queer literature reflects fictionalized narratives from the perspective of sexually marginalized communities. As such, it is generally subject to stigmatization and alienation in societies where heterosexuality is deemed superior to "queerness". The heterosexist agenda and the discrimination mechanisms that it brings with itself have the potential to consolidate such hierarchical positionings, turning the literary realm into an insuperable basis for disseminating and enforcing hegemonic and discriminatory lines of thinking and reasoning against anyone who defines themselves outside of the heterosexual, cisgender norm. So, it can be suggested that the dynamics in the publishing industry, including the dissemination of translations and original works of art, are closely related to how these signifying practices affect the outlook of gender, sexuality, and sexual orientations in various contexts. In this respect, this study aims to review the journey of queer literature in Turkish translation from the early Republican era until today, with a focus on the period between 1928 and 2020. This study comprises three parts. In the first part, the existence conditions of queer literature are briefly discussed with respect to how it is received in the Global South and Global North, while the second part focuses on the debates regarding the incidentally marginalized positioning of translated queer texts in a literary system. The third part, on the other hand, tries to provide sound answers to the question of how the works of queer literature are contextualized in Türkiye with reflections on different decades, starting from the Republican period. In conclusion, it is inferred that the representation of queerness and the translation and publication of queer-themed works of literature in the Turkish literary scene have been profoundly affected by the societal changes and the dynamics of the publishing industry since the Republican period in Türkiye. © 2024 Peter Lang Group AG, Lausanne. All rights reserved.