13. Bölüm: Trans Life in Turkey

This week we have our very first cross-pod collaboration as we got the chance to talk with the wonderful women behind Hayriye and Huriye's Dissertation on Turkish Pop Culture. On their show, they offer up hilarious and knowledgeable breakdowns of Turkish pop culture, past and present, through the eyes of two Turkish-Australian fans. In our conversation, we found out how they've managed to stay so in tune with their cultural roots from so far away. It involves a possibly dodgy Turkish bootleg VHS business, some very hot takes from Hayriye and lots of laughs in between. Be sure to follow our friends on Instagram @turkishpopculture_dissertation And subscribe, listen, follow and share us @TheTurkishBreakfastClub

This week we are wading into some controversial territory as we take on the topic of yogurt. For some, that may seem like a ridiculous statement. But questions about the best ways to eat yogurt, who makes it best, and where it comes from are all hotly debated in Turkey and across the region. But what is indisputable is how central yogurt is to Turkish cuisine. The word yogurt itself comes from the Turkish word yoğurmak, with a soft G, which means 'to thicken' or 'to curdle'. To help us understand Turkish yogurt culture (get it?) we're joined this week by Özlem Warren, a teacher, blogger and passionate advocate of Turkish cookery and the author of the award-winning book Özlem's Turkish Table: Recipes From My Homeland. Special shout-out this week to a friend of the pod, Betül, who put in the request for this very important topic. If you have any suggestions for future episodes, you can reach out to us through Facebook or Instagram @TheTurkishBreakfastClub.

Outside of Turkey, the name Zeki Müren might not ring a bell.  But inside the country, he is one of the most beloved cultural icons who rose to fame as a singer in the 50s and has remained widely popular even after his sudden death in 1996. He is known as the 'Sun of Art' and has been compared to the Turkish version of David Bowie, Freddie Mercury or Liberace, because of his flamboyant outfits that included platform boots, mini skirts, sequined capes and feather boas (Seriously, if you haven't seen photos of him, go look it up right now. It's fabulous) He found a way to be exactly who he wanted to be, even while living in a time and society that didn't necessarily understand or accept those things. To understand more about this legendary legend, I'm joined this week by Beyza Boyacıoğlu, who co-created the Zeki Muren Hotline with designer Jeff Soyk. It's an incredible interactive web documentary that explores Zeki's life and legacy by collecting messages from anonymous callers who share their memories of the artist. It was honoured this year by the Webby Awards for Best Net Art.

This week, we're shaking it up şekerim by taking a look at Turkey's obsession with the Eurovision Song Contest. With its strong musical culture, Turkey has proven we could be the same as other powerhouses in the competition.  But after a string of top 10 performances, including Sertab Eraner's win in 2003, Turkey suddenly withdrew from the competition in 2012. For the past 10 years, Turkish fans have dreamed of once again being 'Under the Same Sky.'  Begüm from Eurovision Turkey -- an unofficial group of ESC superfans -- joins us to look back at some of the best performances that make our hearts go düm tek tek and, most importantly, every way that we can get Turkey back into the competition.  Dinle, subscribe and share this episode -- and tell us your favourite Eurovision memories!

This week's episode will hopefully hit home with a lot of you. I've talked a lot about my experience as a Canadian expat who has spent most of my adult life outside of Canada and has chosen to put down roots halfway around the world in Turkey.  My guest this week is Erkan Çakır [prono: ehr-kahn chuh-ker] and he has done the same but from the opposite side: After growing up and finishing university in Turkey, he moved to Canada, where over the past eight years he has slowly built up a community and new sense of identity. So in this episode, you'll hear two immigrants trade some stories about our homes -- by birth and by choice -- and what that word even means. If you haven't already, please subscribe, listen, review and share the podcast on any of the standard platforms. And follow us on Instagram and Facebook to get more from The Turkish Breakfast Club. 

Moving to Turkey was one of the best decisions of my life, but it was filled with a lot of challenges as I learned how to setup and settle into a brand new life in a completely foreign country and culture. One of the invaluable resources I still use to this day is Yabangee.com -- a play on the Turkish word yabancı, which means 'foreigner' or 'stranger'. The website is filled with thousands of helpful articles about life in Turkey, from practical guides and advice columns to a full on relocation service section. They also host some great events, including a weekly quiz night that I have won in the past and therefore love (not-so-humble brag). The co-founder and co-director of Yabangee, Tarik Yassien, sat down with us this week to talk about his own journey from a yabancı to a local -- and some tips for how you can do it, too. Follow them on Instagram or Facebook  And of course follow us @TheTurkishBreakfastClub.

Hayırlı Ramazanlar! This year, April 2 to May 2 is Ramadan, the ninth and most sacred month of the Islamic calendar. I've mostly known it as the time when Muslims around the world fast from sunrise to sunset. But my guest this week explains why it's so much more than that. Sevde is from the Center for Cross-Cultural Communication, a group of volunteers that offers workshops and tours to better understand Turkish and Muslim culture. She invited me to their beautiful historic mansion just behind Suleymaniye Mosque and told me how Ramadan can be a celebration for people of all backgrounds -- though there are some things that non-fasters should maybe be more conscientious of during this period. For example, try to restrain your midnight rooftop karaoke sessions... The center holds lots of interesting events throughout the year, including iftar dinners during Ramadan and even tours to join in Friday prayers at Suleymaniye Mosque. Just drop them a line or better yet, knock on their door. I can vouch that they are very friendly and welcoming!

The hijab has become a political lightning rod recently, which has perhaps made some people shy about asking any questions, for fear of stirring controversy or offending the wearer.  But our guest this week, Efnan Han, has very graciously agreed to not be offended by any questions and guide us through both the basics and intricacies of wearing a headscarf. On top of being very patient, Efnan is also a news presenter at TRT World and the first hijabi woman to present news on any international channel.   I hope it goes without saying that everyone's experience with the hijab is unique and personal. Efnan isn't a religious authority and isn't speaking on behalf of all hijabi women everywhere. She's simply sharing her own story so that we can begin to have a more open and hopefully more understanding conversation by both sides.  If you want to read more about Turkey's complicated relationship with the hijab, here are some starting points: - The head scarf, modern Turkey, and me by Elif Batuman in The New Yorker - Turkey: Battle of the Head Scarf by Roger Hardy in the BBC - Why Headscarves Matter So Much To Turkey by Nathaniel Handy in Fair Observer  - Balaclavas Are Trendy, but for Some Muslim Women It's More Complicated by in The New York Times

Studying history enables us to develop a better understanding of the world in which we live. But what about our herstory? According to our guest this week, there's still surprisingly little known about even the most famous and powerful women in Ottoman times. Professor Gülhan Balsoy teaches the history of women, labour and medicine during the late-Ottoman period at Istanbul Bilgi University. She helps us dive into the archives to understand the female figures who shaped society over the centuries, from Hürrem Sultana to the lesser-known everyday characters.  For a deeper dive, you can read Professor Balsoy's writing about the Haseki Hospital or the Cibali Regie Factory as well as her article "The Politics of Reproduction in Ottoman Society, 1838–1900". For more of The Turkish Breakfast Club, you can follow us on Instagram and Facebook @TheTurkishBreakfastClub.

At every march and protest I've been to in Turkey, I've noticed there's always been a strong presence from the transgender community. It's maybe no surprise since they are constantly forced to fight for their rights, not only for equality but also just to be recognized and respected in public spaces. To understand more about what life is like for trans people in Turkey, my guest this week is Arya Zencefil -- a trans activist and a fellow podcaster who hosts the show Trans Saatler, or 'Trans Hours'. We had an amazing discussion about how trans rights are fundamentally connected with feminism and other social justice movements, and Arya describes some of the shocking ways the government and some women still treat the trans community. This is one of my favourite interviews so far, and a reminder that the fight for women's rights must include everyone.