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Comment by Dallas the Phallus on April 7, 2012 at 11:25am

Bülent Ersoy (Turkish pronunciation: [byˈlent eɾˈsoj]; born 9 June 1952) is a transgender Turkish celebrity and popular singer of Ottoman classical music. Over the years, Ersoy has become a symbol for the increased tolerance for LGBT figures in Turkish media.

 

Bülent began her career as a male singer, in the genre of Turkish classical music, and became an actor early on. Already one of Turkey's most popular male singers and actors, Bülent Ersoy gained international notoriety in 1981 after having sex reassignment surgery in London by a British plastic surgeon. Ersoy kept the name "Bülent" even though it is a male name.

 

After the operation, Bülent found herself in opposition to the regime of Kenan Evren. In a crackdown on "social deviance," Ersoy's public performances were banned along with those of other transsexual and transgendered people.

 

From Ersoy's standpoint, the ban should not have even applied to her, as she was an actual woman and not simply a man dressed as one. To circumvent the ban, she petitioned the Turkish courts to legally recognize her as a woman. The petition was rejected in January 1982. Days later, Ersoy attempted suicide. In 1983 she left the entertainment industry in protest of the Evren regime's repressive policies. Later that same year, Evren left office and many of his policies were rescinded.

 

Ersoy continued her career mostly in Germany in addition to Turkey. Along with her musical career, she made several Turkish movies in Germany. During that time she also started having a relationship with Birol Gürkanlı.

 

Finally, in 1988, the Turkish Civil Code was revised so that those who completed sex reassignment surgery could apply for a pink or blue (pink for female, blue for male) identity card by which they were legally recognized in their new sex. Ersoy soon returned to singing and acting, becoming more popular as a woman than she had been as a man. Her public even took to calling her "Abla," or "elder sister," an affectionate sign of their total acceptance of her gender. [continue]

 

Comment by Sentient Biped on April 7, 2012 at 9:46am

Jin Xing, China's dancer, choreographer, TV personality, a trans woman who has made her mark on China.

 

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

via lezgetreal.com

Comment by David Philip Norris on April 5, 2012 at 3:58pm

http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Asia/Story/A1Story20120203...

Here's an article that actually speaks directly to that!

Comment by Sentient Biped on April 5, 2012 at 3:48pm

Regardless of where it comes from, it's cute.  So that would be a "Sinosexual".  I am aware of the gay lingo but will stay out of it.  I don't think China has the so called Judeo-Christian baggage about sexuality and marriage.  A lot of Chinese men have women on the side and their wives accept is as par for the course, and are practical about staying married.  It's sexist since I don't think it works the other way around.  Long tradition of the landlord class and royalty with polygamous marriages, although the cultural revolution supposedly ended that.  Gay mostly seems to be an issue of grandchildren needed, better to marry and have a boyfriend at same time.  Admittedly my exposure is limited. 

Comment by David Philip Norris on April 5, 2012 at 2:50pm

Well, considering that Asian culture typically favors male children, and that the current crop of males are entering adolescence...

Comment by Dallas the Phallus on April 5, 2012 at 2:27pm

SB, I found it on another site. Just ran across it. 

DPN, I bet it was just someone who had copied the ethnicity section when creating the document, and then pasted and changed the words, and missed that bit. Still, it's funny. Who knew the Chinese were so....particular....in their sexual expression.

Comment by David Philip Norris on April 5, 2012 at 2:21pm

I feel like this is either one of those "Find the error" puzzles, or it's something that was badly translated from some other language to English (e.g., Japanese).

Comment by Tony Carroll on April 5, 2012 at 2:01pm

Hey, hey, hey! I'm offended by this. Where is the box for Irish-Americans huh?  Idjuts.

Comment by Sentient Biped on April 5, 2012 at 12:59pm

Dallas that is hilarious.  Where is it from?

Comment by Dallas the Phallus on April 5, 2012 at 12:57pm

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