I wouldn’t say Turkey is a “shithole” — whatever that means. Turkey is in a serious culture war. Besides being ruled by an Islamic populist autocrat, and for that reason, it is one of the most “Islamophobic” countries in the world.
About 10 percent of the adult population and 30 percent of the gen-Zers are non-theistic. Most of them are anti-theistic, anti-Islamic, Stalinian atheists, who would completely agree with you on Turkey being a shithole, and want a “battle-ready” “democracy” in a cruel “battle” with Islam and Muslims.
While the trans surgeries is not affirmed by medicare and there is real stigma around it, trans people have every legal right, including official name and sex —yes, sex— change. And like Erdogan says, “the opposition is gay.” They’re for LGBT rights.
And, except alien ghettos and other no-go zones, it is not a “shithole” in the means of culture, security, safety, crime rates, and legal issues aren’t about the “overlords.”
So, it’s a mixed bag. It is a terrible country economically, equalitically etc. But not completely unsalvagable. Turkey definitely can be “OK, fine” again.
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“If tomorrow you had a referendum whether civil unions should be introduced it would not be unlikely to pass, pro-marriage and pro-union are almost 50% with 30% undecided.”
This is not terrible. Check out how Ireland legalized gay marriage.