I plan on moving from paris to istanbul and I wanted to know a few things. How liberal is Turkey when it comes to sex and stuff? For example I live with my boyfriend and I plan on moving with him. I also wear mini-skirts in the summer.
Would that be acceptable in Turkey, especially in areas such as Istanbul, Izmir, Ankara? How common is stuff like pre-marital sex and live-in relationships, especially the major cities named above?
I hear many different things. Some people say its very liberal and has a sexually liberal culture unlike other muslim countries. Other people say that although its a secular country most people are practicing muslims and things like partying in nightclubs, live-in relationships, and pre-marital sex are looked down upon.
So which one is it?
2006-07-18 07:20:14 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Travel ➔ Europe (Continental) ➔ Turkey
david , you said to asker you havent seen midnight express.you believed that movie, so you believed "batman,superman,aliens".midnight express isnt real.
2006-07-19 04:17:38 · answer #1 · answered by last 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
All in all acceptable in Turkey. I am Italian and have lived in Istanbul and have done it all. Nightlife is amazing in Istanbul and ankara is pretty decent too. Big cities in Turkey actually get pretty wild.
And David S obviously is an idiot. He may want to watch a few American Prison movies.
Bunt is definetely not far behind and a racist. Calling these beautiful people barbarians in her way indirectly, I must say of all the countries I have visited they are one of the most hospitable people.
Spartan ignorant.
And spinchi sounds like a jealous Greek, I guess not smart enough to know that Ataturk has been dead for years and turkey has a democratic multi party system.
2006-07-18 17:36:15 · answer #2 · answered by PANCHO 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
i live in Istanbul and 4 years ago i was sharing an apartmant with my boyfriend. Nobody said anything to us. there is a breathtaking night live in istanbul,Izmir and Ankara (i'd like to add Mugla and Antalya) you can wear anything u want nobody cares.. Just to tell the truth, sure there are some places in İstanbul,only the women with black fabric and all men are with beard, we ignore them.. if you live around Levent,Kadıköy,(towns in İstanbul) life won't be any different from France. Turkey is a liberal Muslim country (many ppl try really hard for it)
By the way, Kemal Ataturk is the one who tried to change the radical Muslim life and create a liberal country..he never was a dictator.
2006-07-18 19:35:25 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Turkey is actually pretty ,liberal but it is on the scale of Muslim countries. For the points that you are making, wearing mini-skirts or haning out with your boyfriend, it should be fine. As part of its attempts to join the EU, it is taking a more liberal eye to Western-type of cultures. However having said that, you should keep in mind the country's historical roots--it isn't as "free-spirited" as France by many means. And make sure to wear a top on the beach!
2006-07-18 07:24:57 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
1. Russia conservative? What have you been smoking. 2. You are picking religious conservatives. This has little to no bearing on their government. Iran is a dictatorship which is NOT right wing. 3. The "good" countries you are picking are broke and the bank just hasn't foreclosed. 4. Also i wouldn't really call a nation that had problems with morgues getting overfull because relatives wouldn't leave their vacations ( this really happened in France a few years ago) a good nation. If peoples are so worthless relatives don't care when you die you don't want to live there.
2016-03-26 22:52:14 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Turkey is misunderstood by Europeans because they WANT TO misunderstand. This is a kind of indirect racism hidden in their genetics.
We are very democratic thanks to Kemal Ataturk. Any one calling him dictator should be a fascist himself.
There are liberal people and conservative people/life styles here as there are in France or anywhere else.
Turkey is not like Egypt, Iran or something but rather like Brazil, Mexico, Argentina or Spain 20 years ago etc.
Addition:
1-Cesar, and have you been to Turkey ? What bothers you about being similar to Turkey, the "indirect racism" I talk about maybe.. For example in Spain dictators stayed 15 years whereas in Turkey, they went away in 2 years.. Spain became rich with the money of other countries after EU, you know..
2-David. Midnight express is just a fantasy of an American gay men who wanted to be raped by a real man, be because he was not, he wanted to take his revenge writing that story.
2006-07-19 01:39:18 · answer #6 · answered by Moosty 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am a Turkish woman living in Istanbul with my boyfriend. We both do not feel ready for marriage and both of our families respect to that. I do wear mini skirt ( actually my favorite cloth especially in summer), i love to sun bath with bikini. I don't what some of the people are talking about but when I read all those silly things against, it is like reading something about somewhere else. I have not been to Izmir that is why I do not know the names of the clubs etc. But if you are planning to come to Istanbul I would recommend you Reina (which is by the Bhosphorus), Mojito, Babylon, Roxy. Thanks to ATATURK, for giving us the freedom in 1920s and thanks to comments of foreigners living in Turkey.
2006-07-19 04:11:15 · answer #7 · answered by Pinar 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
I see most Europeans have been misinformed about Turkey and Turkish people. I have experienced it during my stay in London or Paris. I have been living with my girlfriend in Istanbul for 8 years. And everybody around respects my relation. Have a nice time.
2006-07-18 23:49:10 · answer #8 · answered by Altan E 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you should be fine in Istanbul...it is on the west "Liberal" side of Turkey, and it's a moving/happening city 24/7 along with Izmir, and Ankara.
The old style culture is mostly in the Eastern part of Turkey
not to worry, just use common sense and stick with your boyfriend and you'll be fine.
2006-07-18 15:55:52 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
I am Greek I have been to Turkey.Actually there are two types of Turkey.The western and the eastern.The people is a good people
The political system is different.Here the army rules behind the
bars.So if you go with the system don t be afraid..We Greeks support Turkey s Westernization but I admit that Europe will not accept it for many reasons
2006-07-22 02:02:22 · answer #10 · answered by qwine2000 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
You are kidding, right?
You can do whatever you want, but don't expect some women dressed like nuns with black burgha to not look down upon you. As for liberalism, I wouldn't compare a fully democratic state like France with Turkey, where the army and Kemal Ataturk - the long gone dictator in Turkey - still rule.
2006-07-18 07:24:35 · answer #11 · answered by cpinatsi 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋