A look inside Istanbul's transsexual brothels

[BrendaQG]

Ya'll may find this interesting.

A look inside Istanbul's transsexual brothels
Photos: There is a transsexual prostitute on every floor, to satisfy client requests. (http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/turkey/100829/istanbul-transgender-rights-brothels)

Published: August 29, 2010 11:18 ET in Europe


For prostitutes working in the brothels, the houses provide a level of protection, and a place to reconnect. (Nicholas Dynan/GlobalPost)
ISTANBUL, Turkey — Near one of the busiest streets in Istanbul, a row of nondescript houses holds a secret unknown to most foreigners here. The houses are the work place of some of Istanbul's transgender and transsexual sex workers.

Many of these prostitutes have been forced into the trade by lack of employment opportunities. In Turkey, transgender and transsexuals are often discriminated against, and for them, stable work is hard to find.

The women who work in this series of brothels are the lucky ones. They stand in sharp contrast to the thousands of transgendered and transsexual sex workers who are forced to walk the streets of Istanbul. Outside brothels, all prostitutes are vulnerable to police harassment, sexually-transmitted infections and violence.

Police cracked down on a transgender and transsexual quarter of the city in the 1990s, though prostitution is technically legal in Turkey. The government has ceased issuing new permits for sex workers and brothels, leaving most of the industry illegal and often dangerous.

For prostitutes working in the brothels, the houses provide not only a level of protection, but also a place to reconnect. While the women compete for clients, they also form bonds among one another.

[giovanni_hotel]

I'd be scared as hell to go to a tranny brothel in an Islamic country.

The extremists are merely tolerating the existence of such an establishment, and you know at any time all those women could be recently deceased, including the clients.

[Makeshift]

looks like the worst place on fucking earth, thanks for posting.

[PomonaCA]

You islamophobes. Don't you know that Islam is a religion of tolerance and diversity?

[giovanni_hotel]

All the muslims I knew in HS and college weren't extremists. The term I would use is 'God centered', righteous folks.

However, there are fuccin nutcases in that religion who believe the Koran should be the basis for all laws and social interaction. The moderates are too scared to speak against imams and their silence gives the whackos cover.

If there is a fundamentalist shift in the government of Turkey, ALL those TGs will be executed or jailed.

Almost the same as it would be if a backwater fundamentalist, the-Bible-is-the-literal-word-of-God, Glenn Beck type ever became POTUS and his ilk had the majority in Congress.

In the USA, when crazy Christian Bible thumpers do something murderous in the 'name of God', almost every moderate of every Christian faith will say 'that guy is NOT a Christian. He's psychotic'.

Not so in the Islamic world.

That whole religion needs to go through a reformation, IMO.
Any faith that espouses political power as a worthy goal and preaches in mosques that their faith should be a global empire, ( convert or DIE) is not fit to exist in the Western world.

But damn, the idea of a tranny brothel, is a mind fuck!!!

You would think that something similar or its equivalent would already be here in the states.

I think I'd have to rent a room!!lol

[argentina2007]

I'd be scared as hell to go to a tranny brothel in an Islamic country.

The extremists are merely tolerating the existence of such an establishment, and you know at any time all those women could be recently deceased, including the clients.
I take it you've never visited Turkey or even left the US for that matter?

[giovanni_hotel]

If I'm wrong, let me know.

EVERY Islamist country in the current global environment is at risk of becoming a fundamentalist tyranny.

You don't think the Muslim religious leaders in Turkey are apoplectic about the existence of what is seen as an abomination in the Islamic faith???

Every moderate, secular Arab country, ( Iraq, Iran prior to 1979) is potentially at risk from the ascendence of Islamic fundamentalism.

All it takes is the right amount of social/political/economic upheaval.

I know the moderates in Turkey outnumber the extremists, yet it's the fundamentalists who seem to cower the majority population in the end.

[yodajazz]

If what you say is true, then can you see that religious intolerence for Muslims in the US, plays into the hands of the extremists? And the opposite would be true, that us showing respect and tolerance, does not give fuel to extremists.

So in other the simple spiritual principle of treating others, the wa you wish to be treated is the best political strategy.

[giovanni_hotel]

When did I say I was intolerant of Muslims??

[traLika]

When did I say I was intolerant of Muslims??


lol
It's funny how many people add 2+2 and get 22, isn't it? It's like when you criticize some of the awful things that Israel is doing in the Middle East - in some people's eyes that makes you an anti-semitist. You're either with 'em or against 'em...

[FREEFALLL666]

You islamophobes. Don't you know that Islam is a religion of tolerance and diversity?
Yea as long as you pay the special taxes for those who dont worship Islam. There is a term for that which the MAFIA use, Protection money.

[FREEFALLL666]

I think you will find that with Turkey so close to European membership the likelihood of Executions being brought back and their country becoming yet another barbaric state (yes you too USA) is as likely as a Martian asking you for directions to your neighbors house.

[daman232323]

You islamophobes. Don't you know that Islam is a religion of tolerance and diversity?

I hope your joking (praying sarcasm here). Have you ever read the Korran? On numerous occasions it basically states that if someone opposes Islam they should be slaughtered, but you're right, sounds fairly tolerant.

[Amsterdamage]

I take it you're an American? I'm not saying you're intolerant to Muslims, but i am saying you're ignorant when it comes to countries like Turkey, and especially when it comes to cities like Istanbul. Istanbul is a very liberal city, like any other western city. Blonde chicks (yes, blonde turkish chicks exist) in bikinis on the beach, wild crazy parties, gays, lesbos, transexuals, no problem.

I always find it somewhat sad when an American says or thinks something ignorant, simply because they are fead/programmed disinformation. I know it's not your fault, you can't help it, but it is sad.

[daman232323]

Amsterdamage, not sure if your post is directed at me but, my post wasn't meant to be against Istanbul, Turkey as a whole or any other Muslim nation. Just pointing out the fact that the Korran is NOT tolerant. Just like the Christian bible is not as tolerant and peaceful as some may think. No worries my friend, I hate all religions equally!

[Makeshift]

Paul Semitist Daley

[giovanni_hotel]

I take it you're an American? I'm not saying you're intolerant to Muslims, but i am saying you're ignorant when it comes to countries like Turkey, and especially when it comes to cities like Istanbul. Istanbul is a very liberal city, like any other western city. Blonde chicks (yes, blonde turkish chicks exist) in bikinis on the beach, wild crazy parties, gays, lesbos, transexuals, no problem.

I always find it somewhat sad when an American says or thinks something ignorant, simply because they are fead/programmed disinformation. I know it's not your fault, you can't help it, but it is sad.

Just keep an eye on who's elected president in Turkey. Not saying it's a probability, but a fundamentalist couldn't care less about being a member of the EU.

30 years ago, who could have foreseen that a handful of mullahs would turn a 'modern' oil rich country like Iran into a Islamic fundamentalist dictatorship??

Revolutions have a strange way of tipping 'conventional wisdom'.

[traLika]

i hate all religions equally!


+1! :) ......

[Dkg]

Makes me wonder how many of the worlds transsexual population are escorts or prostitutes. Not saying anything against what these women chose to do (because that's their business).

[Coroner]

Just keep an eye on who's elected president in Turkey. Not saying it's a probability, but a fundamentalist couldn't care less about being a member of the EU.

30 years ago, who could have foreseen that a handful of mullahs would turn a 'modern' oil rich country like Iran into a Islamic fundamentalist dictatorship??

Revolutions have a strange way of tipping 'conventional wisdom'.

In fact, Erdogan is turning towards Turkey´s Muslim neighbours. EU membership seems to have lost its priority in current Turkish policies. Remember Erdogan´s speech at the Davos conference (aimed at Shimon Peres) where he took his chance to present himself as a leading figure in the Muslim world, playing with Muslim sentimentalities in consideration of Israel´s Gaza operation. I´m not familiar with the Turkish political system, so I can´t tell if the Erdogan government is conservative or fundamentalist but even Westerners notice changes in a country that used to be pretty secular. Those big cities like Istanbul might still be liberal but Turkey is pretty much a rural country and Erdogan represents the views of rural, ultraconservative and unenlightened people.
Considering Iran, let´s not forget British and US involvement in all those political cataclysms before, during and after Mohammad Mossadegh. When he tried to nationalize the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company owned by the British, he was simply overthrown and a monarchist dictatorship installed. Democracy is bad for business. Many other US-backed dictatorship all over Asia and South America were to come. The islamists took their chance by presenting themselves as national liberators and implemented an even worse tyranny.
Those people never had a chance for change and revolutions. Their rulers could never stay in charge if not backed-up by leading global powers. Where there is no change, no reforms, no freedom of speech, one cannot expect a consciousness for questioning traditions, authority and tribal rules to emerge.

[tslvrnyc]

If I'm wrong, let me know.

EVERY Islamist country in the current global environment is at risk of becoming a fundamentalist tyranny.

You don't think the Muslim religious leaders in Turkey are apoplectic about the existence of what is seen as an abomination in the Islamic faith???

Every moderate, secular Arab country, ( Iraq, Iran prior to 1979) is potentially at risk from the ascendence of Islamic fundamentalism.

All it takes is the right amount of social/political/economic upheaval.

I know the moderates in Turkey outnumber the extremists, yet it's the fundamentalists who seem to cower the majority population in the end.

Iran and Turkey are not Arab.

[giovanni_hotel]

Iran and Turkey are not Arab.

Argument is still the same. I know Iran is Persian, but they're all still Islamic countries.

[Amsterdamage]

Amsterdamage, not sure if your post is directed at me but, my post wasn't meant to be against Istanbul, Turkey as a whole or any other Muslim nation. Just pointing out the fact that the Korran is NOT tolerant. Just like the Christian bible is not as tolerant and peaceful as some may think. No worries my friend, I hate all religions equally!

no it was directed to giovanni, not you. i totally agree btw on what u say about religion in general. i can't say i 'hate religion in general' but i do agree that the concept of religion is misused and abused, and is a form of terrorism itself, i.e. keeping people in control by hacing them fear some almighty power. i guess i'm just too down to earth and rational to understand how STUPID people can be to let anything in their lives be controlled or influenced by a thing like religion/superstition (they're same to me). No offense to the religious ppl here.

@giovanni: You know, i think Turkey is pretty wise not wanting to join the EU. The EU is a scam. I wish Holland would step out of it. We are slowly becoming the USE (United States of Europe) and so far i haven't seen that much good coming from those other United States, so i'm pretty much against centralization of pretty much everything, but especially that of monetary power, which is one of the main reasons for the EU to exist in the first place. History has taught us that the more you centralize money, and therefore power, the more corrupt it gets. Unfortunately in the end all countries will be forced into joining in, and be a part of the new European laws a.k.a. the Lisbon Treaty, which i have actually READ. well not all 8089034 pages of it, but there's some crazy stuff in there..it's the biggest pile of shit ever written.

anyway, my previous post in reply to ur original post was only meant to reply on your statement of not wanting to go into any brothel in Istanbul because it's an 'islamic country' and therefore 'dangerous'. I can tell you as a DJ i've played in Turkey several times, including Istanbul, so i have witnessed the freedom and tolerance there with my own eyes. Same goes for Morocco btw..

oh and just for the record, i wouldnt step into a brothel anywhere whatsoever haha, but for other obvious reasons.

[FREEFALLL666]

Makes me wonder how many of the worlds transsexual population are escorts or prostitutes. Not saying anything against what these women chose to do (because that's their business).
Literally...:hide-1:

[giovanni_hotel]

Didn't say I wouldn't go to a Turkish brothel, just that I'd be a little scared to do so!

My dick is fearless!lol

[yodajazz]

When did I say I was intolerant of Muslims??
I was not saying you are intolerant. But I wanted you to acknowledge that the intolrence against Muslims, which is used to inflame political passions, by the right wing, plays to the advantage of radical Islam. And also goes against our founding principles of freedom of religion.

[BrendaQG]

People Turkey is Constitutionally secular. They don't practice Islamic Law at all. Turkey, like every other Turkic country has a old tradition of accepting gender variance as well.

The problems these women face don't stem from Islam. They are very much the same problems we have in the west, east, north, south. They stem from the importation and spreading of homophobic western European values, in which there are two rigidly defined genders, and no third options.

I can go on at lenth about transgenderism in Islamic countries that actually do use Sharia. A couple of which are in some respects better to their transwomen than the US. I have before use search.

I just thought some of you might find a look at that interesting.

@Amsterdamage
Thankyou for trying to talk some sense to these people about Turkey. Realize that in the US, and this is a US heavy board, Islamophobia is the acceptable prejudice. People from bible thumpers to gay atheist all agree that they dislike Islam and Muslims. Not everyone here is that way but allot of American are.

Istanbul is a city of 12 Million + where the headscarf is banned and has been for 50 or 60 years now. I'm sure that it's much like New York, LA, or Chicago in terms of what vices and entertainments are available there.

It's not a name heard to often here. But Turkey is home to one well known transsexual singer by the name of Bulent Ersoy. She's quite open and well known. If Turkey was this "Islamic" despotic country these people though it was, then shouldn't someone like her have been executed?

YouTube- Bülent Ersoy Cile Bulbulum (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igs5NtjXm0E)

[giovanni_hotel]

Istanbul is the exception, not the norm for the entire country of Turkey. My superficial reservations were based on the fact that regardless how their constitution is written, diplomatically, they align and define themselves directly and indirectly by their faith.

Their 'friendly' diplomatic status with Israel was jeopardized this summer when Israeli commandos attempted to intervene with a supply flotilla to Gaza.

Why?? Because of Turkey's status as an Islamic country.

Okay, granted Istanbul isn't going to flip and become a fundamentalist stronghold in 24 hours and maybe(probably) my fears are irrational, but still.

I'm not Islamophobic, but I am Islamo-cautious!!lol

[BrendaQG]

Turkey, the whole country, is not "Islamic" in the sense you are thinking of.

Turkey is part of NATO.

Turkey is one step away from EU membership, at this moment the only things they don't have from the EU, are the Euro, and passport free border crossing.

Turkey is not an Arab nation, and the Arab nations still hate turkey the way we hated the brits after the revolution.

Just face the fact that you wrong in this instance.

[FREEFALLL666]

Istanbul is the exception, not the norm for the entire country of Turkey. My superficial reservations were based on the fact that regardless how their constitution is written, diplomatically, they align and define themselves directly and indirectly by their faith.

Their 'friendly' diplomatic status with Israel was jeopardized this summer when Israeli commandos attempted to intervene with a supply flotilla to Gaza.

Why?? Because of Turkey's status as an Islamic country.

Okay, granted Istanbul isn't going to flip and become a fundamentalist stronghold in 24 hours and maybe(probably) my fears are irrational, but still.

I'm not Islamophobic, but I am Islamo-cautious!!lol Err they didnt intervene with the supply flotilla because it was from an Islamic country. They intervened because they have banned ALL countries.

[giovanni_hotel]

The blowback across the Islamic world regarding the Israel's intervention in the Gaza flotilla was that Israel was inappropriately exercising its military power in the region, and in turn Turkey's public stance on Israel was much more critical and pro pan-Arab, that was the point.

When pressed, at times Turkey's national leadership is less secular and more vocally Islamic, whether it's posturing or their true inclination, who can know for sure.

[BrendaQG]

So let me get this straight. If a country in the ME criticizes Israels brutal racist occupation of the west bank, and their apartheid like policy towards Israeli Arabs is then Islamic. Due to that criticism they must also be especially oppressive to transwomen? It just does not follow.

[Amsterdamage]

yeah subjects getting a bit mixed up now, and both 'sides' here have a point. the truth is always somewhere in the middle.

i do love the fact we can have some great political discussions on a board like this!

[Jericho]

Meh, there's one thing they can't get away from...They're still Turks!
Fuk the whole lot 'em!

[fred41]

...never really likes taffy either...lol.

[Jericho]

...never really likes taffy either...lol.

It's the Armenian side coming out! :ignore:

[JoePitt]

Meh, there's one thing they can't get away from...They're still Turks!
Fuk the whole lot 'em!

What about Turkish pistachios? :)

[tslvrnyc]

The blowback across the Islamic world regarding the Israel's intervention in the Gaza flotilla was that Israel was inappropriately exercising its military power in the region, and in turn Turkey's public stance on Israel was much more critical and pro pan-Arab, that was the point.

When pressed, at times Turkey's national leadership is less secular and more vocally Islamic, whether it's posturing or their true inclination, who can know for sure.

I'm certain that Turkey will be a player in WW3. When Iraq falls apart and Kurdistan declares independence, Turkey and Iran will invade shortly after. Israel will side with the Kurds, it's already alleged that Mossad is actively helping the PKK.