Beckie Loewenstein

When life gives protests, wear pink helmets, pink face masks, and high heels.  LGBTT pride week kicks off with a parade from Taksim Square down to Tunel on Sunday June 24, 2013, in Istanbul, Turkey.  People peacefully, joyfully exercise freedom of assembly.  It's a welcome relief that authorities do not crack down with water canons and batons, unlike the previous evening. The LGBTT solidarity association stands for lezbiyen, gey, biseksüel, travesti, transseksüel (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transvestite, transgender).  They face social and political marginalization, harassment, and prejudice.  Carrying messages against both homophobia and government repression, their signs include "aşk örgütlemektir" (love to organize), "trans cinayetleri politiktir" (trans political killings), and "ekmek, adalet, özgürlük istiyoruz" (we want bread, justice, and freedom) to unify the working class, conservatives, and liberals. Through bawdy humor they advocate freedo

After the forceful evacuation of Gezi Park on Saturday June 15, 2013, the three weeks of protest came to an abrupt standstill.  The sounds of whistles, drums, chants, songs, flares, and fireworks of the occupation, marches, and circle dances disappeared.  Instead of the usual helmets, shields, and body armor, police wore summer short sleeve, light blue shirts.  Enforcing the status quo, the police guarded the perimeters of Gezi Park and Taksim Square to prevent the return of protestors.  The turbulent actions of the past three weeks yielded an awkward tension. Erdem Gunduz, a Turkish choreographer, stood for hours in Taksim Square from the late afternoon of June 16 to the early hours of June 17, 2013.  As people watched the artist's activism, he inspired a popular Twitter following with #duranadam and #duraninsan.  The motionless, silent man with his hands in his pockets appeared to calm the crowd.  A few on the sidelines started a chant only to be immediately shushed quiet.  Hi