Who Is Bihter Karal?

 

“My name is Bihter Karal. There is a lot of information about me on the internet, but I am much more than that. I was born in Antakya, Hatay. My father, Hikmet Altay, and my mother, Fevziye Altay, welcomed me into an incredible family. My father was a wonderful man — deeply devoted to his children, always making sure we were fed, clothed, and cared for. He feared God, lived only between his home and work, and had no bad habits.

We grew up in a financially struggling household, yet my parents never allowed us to feel deprived. They always provided the best conditions they could. Although my mother was a housewife, she worked tirelessly — planting, harvesting, selling what she produced, and contributing to the family economy while protecting and supporting her children. I grew up in a humble, peaceful family that never harmed anyone.

Together with my seven siblings and one older sister, we were a family of nine living in a tiny two-room home. Even though my parents did not have much, they never left us hungry or helpless. My father’s greatest dream was for us to study, educate ourselves, and become intelligent, responsible children who earned honest money and stayed away from cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs. That is why he raised us with compassion and conscience. Whenever we wanted something, even something as simple as bananas, we would find it in the kitchen the next day. If we asked for one thing, my father would give us five times more. Even while I was in university, he ensured I studied under the best possible conditions. If I asked him for 50 lira, he would send me 200 instead.

He always gave more than expected so his children would never feel in need. I can never deny the sacrifices my parents made for us. I opened my eyes to life in a village in Antakya, and my real struggle began at the age of nine.

I am the voice of struggle. The journey that began when I was nine years old has now been crowned by the point I have reached today. I rebuilt my life from scratch and established everything through my own efforts. It was never easy. I fell countless times, experienced disappointment, was deceived, cried, and felt hopeless. I went through emotions beyond words. But I never gave up, because I believed in myself. I learned how to stand back up on my own without relying on outside support.

Every negative memory and experience I encountered in life became a reference point for my future. Bihter Karal is generally known as an activist, but I am also a painter, designer, director, and art historian with many talents. I have a deep interest in science, and I love flowers, nature, and animals. I have taken part in numerous projects and served as a rapporteur for the TGU unit in international public institutions. I was also involved in video activism on social media platforms, producing documentaries that connected victims with donors.

My documentaries reached more than 500,000 viewers. I created highly impactful awareness programs that attracted thousands of participants at the time. I achieved great success and reached millions of people across Turkey. By touching the lives of hundreds of thousands of disadvantaged people who felt different or isolated, I offered inspiring examples to help them hold onto life more strongly.

I am Bihter Karal. I exist because of this struggle, and I never gave up. Every step I have taken has been to make my voice heard and to help make the world a fairer place. Every day, I move forward with even greater determination to inspire the future, touch hearts, and make a difference.”

 

 

What Has Life Taught You the Most?

 

“Life has taught me most of all never to be surprised by anything. Because life is such a curtain, such a stage, that anything we never expect or imagine can suddenly appear before us. I have seen many things happen that I once thought would never happen. I experienced betrayal from people I considered closest to me — people I believed would never hurt me. I was excluded, insulted, and dragged into deep disappointment.

Life never truly smiled at me until the day I turned toward the mirror and saw myself. That day, I said to myself: ‘Why not? I can stand up for myself. I can survive without needing someone else’s love, approval, or hand to hold.’ At that moment, I realized I could rebel against life by protecting the nine-year-old child within me.

Yes, I was buried under the ruins many times. But each time, I managed to dig myself out with my own nails. I cried, yet after every tear, I learned how to smile again. I went through extremely difficult experiences, but over time I learned not to show my pain to others, to appear strong, and to remain standing within myself.

I learned how to protect myself with my own strength and how to rise again after every fall. Life taught me how valuable it is to never stop on this stage and to always believe in yourself. Because every time I fell, every time I faced disappointment, when I turned back and embraced myself, I realized that my greatest teacher had always been me.

And even today, with this awareness, I continue to carve my own path with greater strength and determination.”

 

 

What Is the Biggest Misconception People Have About You?

 

“One of the biggest misconceptions people have had about me is the perception that I was a sex worker. First of all, I want to make this very clear: I have always approached this issue from a political and social perspective. During a period of my life, I found myself trapped in a relationship with a man I did not love and was not emotionally connected to — someone who tried to keep me in his life merely because of his own attachment and interest in me. I saw this as a situation born out of emotional and economic desperation.

I have never spoken about this with shame. On the contrary, I have always argued that every form of relationship based on transactional interests and pressure on a person’s free will should be questioned. As an activist, I have always distinguished between consent and coercion. Because for me, this was never only a personal story; it was also about making invisible realities speakable.

I discussed this subject in many of my interviews, not to sensationalize it, but to make the desperation I experienced visible, to encourage people to think, and to spark social discussion. At the same time, I am a painter, designer, activist, and an ordinary person trying to exist in public life. I wanted people to understand that all of these identities can coexist within one individual.

During this process, I worked on various field projects together with the United Nations Population Fund and the Red Umbrella Sexual Health and Human Rights Association. I visited brothels, listened to the stories of sex workers, and witnessed extremely difficult life experiences. These experiences taught me to see life from a completely different perspective. Especially issues such as human trafficking, forced labor, child abuse, and drug-related exploitation became central areas of my struggle.

While living in the Seyranbağları district of Ankara, I faced serious threats. I was intimidated and threatened by prostitution-related criminal networks and pressured to leave the area where I lived. Over time, the situation became much darker, and my home was targeted in an armed attack. After that, I contacted the police. During that period, I had long conversations with a police officer who supported me, and I explained in detail everything I had experienced. Later, legal complaints were filed, court cases were opened, and some criminal organizations received sentences.

My struggle has never been about targeting or condemning individuals. On the contrary, I have always tried to stand beside people who were forced, exploited, and silenced. Issues such as child abuse, human trafficking, and forced prostitution became the causes I cared about most deeply. In the field, I touched the lives of many women and children. Some we were able to save; others, sadly, we lost. The stories of children like Dilay, Nefes, and Defne — who lost their lives at a very young age — still remain deeply etched in my memory.

Even today, I remain committed to the same purpose: making the invisible visible, becoming a voice for those who have been silenced, and continuing the search for justice. Because my entire struggle has been built upon exactly that.”

 

 

Could You Elaborate on Your Cooperation With That Police Officer?

 

“The bond I built with that police officer was very important to me. He not only gave me a sense of security, but also made me feel valued as a human being. He believed in the conscience, resilience, and determination within me. During that time, he gave me tremendous support. There were also other important people whose names I will not mention, and thanks to the trust they gave me, I began going out into the field.

I went out into the streets at night, spoke with women and children, and entered various houses. My intention was never to target or expose people. I was simply observing whether there was violence, coercion, forced labor, or child abuse taking place, and then reporting what I witnessed. Without revealing addresses or identifying individuals, I was trying to understand the dark structures operating behind these events.

At one point in Ankara, I came into contact with certain well-known networks. During that period, I was introduced to a woman who was said to have connections with state institutions and various influential circles. From the outside, she appeared to be an ordinary person, but over time serious suspicions emerged regarding the exploitation of children and mediation within prostitution networks. I reported this information. However, as the process moved forward, the scale of the situation became much larger, and because of the names involved, an atmosphere of fear began to spread.

The people conducting the investigation also started feeling intense pressure. Fearing that they might lose their jobs or suffer harm, they eventually stepped back. The case did not move forward and, at a certain point, the process came to a halt. For security reasons, I was also forced to withdraw from that file. Honestly, I still do not know whether that structure continues to exist today. It has always remained a question mark in my mind.

But I can clearly say this: I never completely stopped during that period. I continued researching the truth and staying active in the field. Because at that time, we accomplished very important things. We contributed to exposing many criminal networks, tried to reach children and women who were being forced into exploitation, and helped reunite some of them with their families.

Later, meeting the Red Umbrella Sexual Health and Human Rights Association allowed me to carry this struggle onto a more institutional and professional platform. From that point on, I found the opportunity to share my voice and my experiences with much wider audiences. Looking back today, I believe that was one of the most important turning points in my life.”

 

 

Was It Difficult to Protect Your Private Life While Living Such a Visible Life?

 

“Thank you very much for this question. Honestly, before becoming visible, I was not experiencing major problems in my life. Back then, the difficulties I faced were mostly within official institutions because of my identity. Other than that, in my daily life, social relationships, and even in jobs where I worked without insurance, I did not face serious problems in areas that did not directly involve my personal identity. That changed the moment I began making my truth visible, expressing myself openly, and stepping outside the roles imposed on me.

Everything changed at that point. After becoming visible, I faced extremely harsh reactions. I personally experienced how cruel people could become and how quickly they could judge someone. I heard things so painful that there were moments when I asked myself, ‘Did I really do the right thing?’ But over time, I realized something important: most people live their lives behind masks. I chose to live without one. And today, when I look back, I feel absolutely no regret about that decision.

Rather than appearing safe inside a cage, I chose to live freely outside of it. Because people often choose to remain within the comfortable spaces presented to them. The moment you step outside of that space, they can label you as ‘other,’ ‘too visible,’ or ‘inappropriate.’ But all I did was build a life that belonged to me. I chose a life shaped by my own decisions, not the one others had designed for me.

I became the lead actor, director, and producer of my own life. Instead of being an extra in someone else’s script, I chose to stand at the center of my own story. Yes, it was not easy. I was left alone, excluded, and forced to endure very painful experiences. But despite all of that, I never gave up. Because I clearly saw the hypocrisy and suppressed judgments hidden behind society’s visible understanding of morality.

There was almost nothing people did not do to me simply because I became visible. Yet despite everything, I never turned my back on life. Over time, I learned not only how to survive, but also how to create my own space. And interestingly, the very people who once excluded me later wanted to become part of the world I had built. That was the moment I realized I no longer needed to prove myself to anyone.

I also went through very painful experiences in my private life. Some people approached me with affection, spoke about serious commitment, and even dreamed of marriage — but the moment they learned about my personal circumstances, they completely changed. Suddenly, I felt that the person in front of me was no longer seeing me as a human being, but only evaluating me through my body. At times, I faced deeply hurtful attitudes. There were people who believed they could approach me through financial power, and others who only wanted to keep me as part of a hidden relationship.

One of the most painful things for a person is realizing that they are being judged not for their character, love, or efforts, but only for their body. That left deep scars on my soul. There were many periods when I was humiliated, marginalized, and made to feel worthless simply because I was visible. But over time, I learned that sometimes people discover their greatest strength through their deepest wounds.

Even today, there are pains I still cannot forget. Because some wounds never fully heal; people simply learn how to live with them. But despite everything, when I look back, I do not see my fears — I see my courage. I do not see what I lost — I see how I found myself again. And I know that a person’s greatest freedom begins the moment they can live their own truth without fear.”

 

 

Is There a Truth You Have Never Shared Until Now but No Longer Want to Hide?

 

“Yes, there is… A truth I have carried inside me for years, a truth that only grew heavier the longer I stayed silent. I was broken at a very young age. I lost my sense of trust in the world and my innocence far too early. In truth, I was a very sensitive and emotional child. But life never treated me the way a child should be treated.

I encountered harassment at a very young age. In high school, one of my teachers confessed romantic feelings to me. Another teacher tried to behave inappropriately toward me in his own home. At that time, I was still a child and not old enough to fully understand what I was facing. In the classroom, on the streets, and in everyday life, I was exposed to comments about my body. People’s looks, words, and behavior began hurting me deeply even at that age.

One day, one of those teachers came to Ankara from another city to meet me. At that time, I did not really understand life or people. He made me feel safe. Later, he took me to a nightclub for the first time in my life. I had never been in such an environment before. I felt like a stranger there — frightened and deeply uncomfortable. After a while, I started crying.

Later, he took me into a quiet room and handed me a drink. Until that day, I had never even consumed alcohol. After drinking it, I began to feel a strange heaviness in my body. Everything became blurry. After that, I only remember fragments: a taxi, the worried voice of the driver, and then a hotel… I could not move my body. It was one of the most terrifying moments of my life.

Later, I remember the police arriving. I opened my eyes in a hospital. If the taxi driver had not realized that something was wrong that night, perhaps I could have ended up carrying an even deeper trauma today. This is the first time I am speaking about it so openly. Because before a person can voice certain truths, they first have to confront the darkness within themselves.

Throughout my life, I experienced countless traumas and disappointments. All I ever wanted was to stand on my own feet. But every time I tried to exist, there seemed to be a price to pay. I was betrayed, hurt, and abandoned. There were periods when I was homeless, hungry, and struggling to continue school under extremely difficult conditions. I found jobs and lost them; I worked hard but never received what I deserved. It felt as though there was a dark cloud constantly hanging over me, and I was endlessly being thrown around beneath it.

But today, when I look back, I realize something: the greatest mistake I made throughout my life was trying to make others accept me. I constantly waited for someone to approve of me, to make space for me. Yet true liberation does not come from others giving you space — it comes from learning how to create space for yourself within your own soul.”

 

 

How Did Marriage Change Your Life?

 

“As I said from the very beginning, there were not many beautiful memories in my past. Throughout my life, I was tested more by destruction, tears, betrayal, disappointment, and helplessness. But at one point, I realized something: the moment I stopped needing other people’s approval and turned only toward myself, my life began to change. That was the day I started winning against life.

For years, I was like an actor wearing masks, but eventually I became both the writer and the director of my own story. I have a saying: ‘Rather than being the shadow of a tree, become the sun itself. Then the tree will need you, and the shadow will become your creation.’ These words are not just a sentence; they are a perspective shaped by lived experiences, heartbreak, and struggle.

My love life was never very intense. Of course, there were people who were interested in me, but after the disappointments I experienced, I completely distanced myself from love. I was used, deceived, and deeply hurt by people I trusted. After a while, I started building walls against everyone.

After 2019, I no longer welcomed relationship proposals. During that time, many people tried to enter my life. Especially after becoming visible, more people with bad intentions began approaching me. There were individuals who tried to get close to me through financial promises, luxury lifestyles, or positions of power. I encountered people from different circles, from well-known business figures to political environments, but I never compromised who I was.

At one point, because of the pressure I was experiencing, I distanced myself from social media, pushed my life into the background, and withdrew into myself. I chose silence. Because sometimes, even when people speak about what they are going through, they feel they still will not be understood. During that period, the idea of marriage had completely disappeared from my life. There were even moments when I told myself, ‘I will probably live alone and die alone.’

Then life surprised me from a place I never expected. I met my husband at the company where I was working. The moment I saw him, I felt something completely different inside me. Later, I learned that he had felt the same way. And shortly after we met, our relationship began.

Marriage taught me how to trust again. After feeling lonely among people for years, for the first time I truly found peace beside someone. For the first time, I felt that I was not fighting every battle alone. My past contained so much darkness, but together with my husband, I began to believe that life could also open a beautiful new chapter for me.

In the past, when I came home, there was only silence waiting for me. Now, I have a husband who understands me — someone who can look into my eyes and understand what I feel. For me, this is an enormous change. Because throughout my life, I always had to appear strong. For the first time, I felt that I could be loved without trying to seem strong in front of someone.

Marriage gave me not only a partner, but also peace. For years, I lived with fear, anxiety, and emotional defenses against people. But now I can look at life more calmly and more hopefully. For the first time, I can dream beautiful dreams about the future.

And most importantly: for years I lived with the fear that ‘everyone eventually leaves.’ But now, for the first time, I believe someone truly came into my life to stay. That is where marriage created the greatest transformation in my life.”

 

 

How Did Marriage Change Your Life?

 

“As I said from the very beginning, there were not many beautiful memories in my past. Throughout my life, I was tested more by destruction, tears, betrayal, disappointment, and helplessness. But at one point, I realized something: the moment I stopped needing other people’s approval and turned only toward myself, my life began to change. That was the day I started winning against life.

For years, I was like an actor wearing masks, but eventually I became both the writer and the director of my own story. I have a saying: ‘Rather than being the shadow of a tree, become the sun itself. Then the tree will need you, and the shadow will become your creation.’ These words are not just a sentence; they are a perspective shaped b…
So, What Was the Journey to Marriage With Your Husband Like?

“My husband and I met at work. Actually, it was not exactly a classic ‘love at first sight’ story; we had already known of each other indirectly before that. What happened afterward slowly turned into one of those moments where life quietly carries you somewhere without you even realizing it.

I had resigned from my previous workplace. After some time, my former boss called me and asked me to return. They transferred me to the central office, and after meetings with the executives, I was appointed as a service manager. But that period did not last very long either, and I started thinking about resigning again.

Right around that time, the general coordinator mentioned a different work plan. He said a new system was going to be established and that I would be assigned to the store located on the Istanbul road. That was the exact moment when my life changed direction and I met my husband.

I remember that when I first saw him, the only thing that crossed my mind was, ‘Who is this person?’ We started working together. Honestly, I was affected by him the moment I saw him, but I never showed it. Later, I learned that he had also felt something toward me. I began understanding it through his looks and behavior.

Since he was new, we exchanged phone numbers in order to communicate. Because the company did not provide us with a corporate communication line, we had no choice but to contact each other through our personal numbers. And the messages that began that day soon turned into something much deeper. There were nights when we talked until the first light of morning.

As the relationship progressed, I started experiencing a huge inner conflict. There were personal truths about me that I believed my husband needed to know. I wanted to tell him, but I did not know how. One side of me wanted to be honest, while the other side was terrified that everything would end. So for a long time, I stayed silent.

Around the second week of our relationship, my husband told me that he wanted to marry me. I told him I could not accept that. Because of the truths I carried inside me, I believed it would be impossible for the relationship to continue. But he was very clear and determined. He had an attitude that protected and stood firmly behind the relationship.

One day, while we were out together, a woman recognized me inside Nata Vega Outlet. It was obvious she knew me from interviews and my activist identity. At that moment, I panicked and quickly started walking away. My husband followed me, trying to understand what was happening. I had been recognized before, but the fear I felt that day was completely different.

He asked me, ‘Are you someone famous?’ I continued walking without saying anything. Then I noticed him trying to search my name on his phone. At that moment, all I wanted was for him not to find out anything. I begged him not to look until after he dropped me home, but once he left, he continued researching.

About twenty minutes later, he called me. I could not answer. He called again, and again I could not answer. I was terrified — afraid he would yell at me, afraid everything was over. On the third call, I finally picked up. Later that evening, he suggested we meet at a park. Even though I was frightened, I accepted.

I was waiting for him at the park. He parked his car and slowly walked toward me. It is honestly very difficult to describe the fear and helplessness I felt at that moment. My heart felt like it was about to burst out of my chest. Then he stood right in front of me and hugged me. But it was such a hug… In a single embrace, he expressed all the emotions he had never shown before.

He leaned toward my ear and said, ‘I love you so much. I’m going to love you in a way that you deserve to be loved more than anyone else.’ In that moment, everything changed. He held my hand more tightly, and our relationship transformed into something entirely different.

After that, the process of opening up to our families began. It was just as painful, difficult, and long as the beginning had been. It is not easy to explain, but living through it was even harder. Within approximately eight months, we completed the entire journey — meeting the families, engagement promises, formal engagement, civil marriage, and wedding ceremony.

And today, when I look back, I believe that one of the most beautiful surprises life ever gave me was my husband.”

 

 

Is Everything Going Well in Your Marriage?

 

“Right now, I am living through a much more mature, balanced, and peaceful chapter of my life. I continue my life carrying my husband’s surname. We work together, produce together, and build a shared life through mutual effort and dedication.

From the outside, I can say that compared to many people, we have a more stable, healthy, and peaceful family structure. From this marriage, we were blessed with a son and a daughter. Today, we continue our lives as a family of five.

I would like to share more details about my family, but because of the circumstances we live in, I prefer to keep certain things private. That is why I want to leave this part within certain boundaries.

My husband, Mertcan Yıldız, holds a very special place in my life. He has truly been a good husband to me and a wonderful father to our children. He is respectful toward his family, protective, responsible, and never neglects the people he loves. He never overlooks special days in my life and pays attention even to the smallest details.

He was also the first person in my life to buy me flowers. And he did not do it just once — over time, it became a habit. He is someone who values small gestures and expresses his love through his actions.

He stays away from social media, does not enjoy nightlife, and prefers a simple lifestyle focused mainly on his work and family. He lives a disciplined and calm life, going from home to work and from work back home. His close circle consists mostly of his family and a few people he truly trusts.

When I look back today, I can see more clearly how much effort, patience, and strong connection went into building the life we created together. I cannot say that we live a perfect life, but thanks to the respect, trust, and devotion we have for one another, we are learning how to overcome life’s difficulties together.”

 

 

How Do You Interpret the Fact That Relationships and Love Between Trans Individuals Are Still Met With Surprise in Turkey?

 

“I interpret the fact that relationships and love involving trans individuals are still met with surprise in Turkey as a reflection of society’s habits and learned patterns. People are often surprised when something falls outside what they were taught or what has traditionally been presented to them as ‘normal.’ Relationship models outside of those expectations can sometimes be met with judgment.

But love is not an emotion that can be explained solely through identities. Love is about two people truly seeing, understanding, and choosing to build a life together. Yet society, especially regarding certain issues, still tends to evaluate individuals through labels.

That is partly why relationships involving trans individuals are often met with surprise. In reality, the issue is not the relationship itself; it is that people are not accustomed to what they perceive as different. Things they have never seen, experienced, or been allowed to openly discuss may initially appear ‘unusual’ to them.

I believe this will change over time. Because as people get to know others, witness their lives, and hear their stories firsthand, they begin to realize that this too is simply a natural part of life. Love has no gender, identity, or fixed mold; it only has the way it is lived and experienced.

In general, I do not believe it is right to define people through labels. A human being is simply a human being. Every individual’s private life, identity, and choices are valuable within their own space and deserve respect. I do not think it is healthy for social life, professional life, or everyday relationships to be shaped around people’s private identities.

I believe that whether in professional life, while renting a home, shopping, or simply existing in everyday society, people should be evaluated not by their identity, but by their character, behavior, and humanity. Because in the natural flow of life, what truly matters is the respect people have for one another.

From my perspective, the issue is not the labels — it is the human being themselves.”

 

 

What Will Today’s Bihter Karal Continue Fighting For the Most?

 

“Today, Bihter Karal will continue fighting most of all for a world where people see one another not through labels, but simply as human beings.

For me, the most important issue is ensuring that identities, private lives, or the ways people exist are not turned into reasons for judgment. I believe there should be a mindset in which people are evaluated in professional life, social life, and everyday life simply for who they are as human beings.

Another part of my struggle is helping invisible or misunderstood lives be understood from a more humane and truthful perspective. Because people often judge what they do not know. Yet when they truly get to know one another and listen to each other’s stories, they realize that the differences between them are not as great as they once imagined.

I experienced this in my own life as well. I went through extremely difficult periods, was misunderstood and judged, but in the end I managed to build my own life, create a family, and continue producing and creating. That is why I know that within every story there is a deeply human truth hidden inside.

My struggle will continue for the creation of a social language in which people approach one another with less prejudice and more understanding. Because sometimes the thing that truly changes a person is not being judged — but being understood.”