The projections of otherness on religious identity and sexual identity

In this study, which deals with the otherness and othering behavior of individuals relative to each other through religious and sexual identity, the interpretation and experiencing ways of otherness and othering practices by individuals within the scope of Alevism, Sunnism, homosexuality, and heterosexuality are discussed. In this direction, the approaches of individuals towards establishing a relationship with the 'other' within the framework of their religious and sexual identities are evaluated. In this study, the qualitative research methods are adopted and the semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with the 20 participants that categorized under the headings of Alevi-homosexual, Alevi-straight, Sunni- homosexual, and Sunni-straight were reached through the snowball sampling method. The data of the research were evaluated by thematic analysis. In this framework, the research has tried to understand that being the "other" through the adopted identity from the perspective of those who otherize and are otherized. In line with the themes reached, it might be claimed that the elements that determine the otherness and othering behavior of individuals related to each other are the stereotypes developed in line with the meanings attributed to these identities. Mostly, Alevi participants are stigmatised through stereotypes based on the diversity of their religious practices, yet the meanings that Sunni participants attribute to this difference and their notions of religion do not impede them from relating to Alevi individuals in various social contexts. The stereotypes based on gender norms are the reasons that lie beneath the otherizing behaviors towards homosexual individuals, and in this context, especially the straight male participants avert from establishing relationships with homosexual individuals. In the process of making sense of and accepting the otherness of Alevi-straight, Alevi-homosexual, and Sunni-straight participants, the meanings attributed to the difference of the adopted religious and/or sexual identity in the society are influential; and these meanings are learned the socialization process by the participants through others they have a relationship with. The qualification of the meanings attributed to difference may cause the participants to tend to hide their identities from their personal environment. In this context, although it is a preference for Alevi participants to hide their religious identity for a certain period of time to manage othering practices, the same participants are not willing to hide their identities, especially in adulthood, despite othering practices. Homosexual participants, on the other hand, express their identities in a limited environment due to the fact that they are willing to establish relationships in which the difference of their sexual identity is not decisive. Keywords Otherness, othering, sexual identity, religious identity, Alevism, Sunnism, homosexuality, heterosexuality