section_path: Political positions/LGBT rights
section_name: LGBT rights
paragraph_text: LGBT rights
  
  Two days after İmamoğlu first took the office, 27th Istanbul Pride Parade was once again banned by the Istanbul Governor's Office, the regional administrative body subordinating to the central government. He was then asked for opinion by international correspondents, in which he answered that he would never be a mayor that dissociates or questions any life, form, belief or philosophy of life. In 2020, responding to a question about allegations made by some newspapers that he designed a project to legalise same-sex marriage, İmamoğlu stated that they have the responsibility to safeguard the civil rights of LGBT citizens, but also remarked "society is not ready for legalisation of same-sex marriage". During his administration, an official from SPoD, a prominent LGBT studies organization in Turkey, was elected to the Executive Board of the Istanbul Urban Council, making them the first openly LGBT person ever to hold office.