INTRODUCTION:  If you have not been to Istanbul before, we would suggest you to start with understanding the special gay culture of this city. Being the most crowded city of Turkey, Istanbul is the center of Turkish gay life. Although Turkey is undergoing a rapid change, certain things are still very traditional and peculiar in this country. The gay culture is a good sample of this. Taking immigration from all over the country, Istanbul is a summary of the whole Turkey.  

 TURKISH GAY CULTURE:  Turkey's got a traditional bisexual culture taking its root from the history. The gay relationships usually happens between real gay men and the bisexuals. In this culture the bisexuals would never consider themselves as gay - or even bisexual. Indeed they are different then typical gay men. They do not have sex with each other first of all. They look, talk and act like straight men all the way (in fact some of them may be really straight oriented and may be having limited sex with -usually- feminine gay men when they are too horny. They are supposedly top (active is the common word in local culture) but you never know. This may be hard to understand by western Europeans mainly, but it was probably like this in the Catholic/Latin European countries until 30 years ago or may be still so in some Latin American countries. But of course the preferences vary depending on each person. With the changing culture, western style gay-to-gay relationships are rapidly becoming more widespread but still it is not the mainstream as in the western countries yet.

 SAFETY AND WARNINGS:  According to the statistics Istanbul is one of safest metropolises of the world. But there are naturally some risks in the gay world as in many other big cities of the world. Because of the under-developed economy and the wide-gap between the rich and the poor you can encounter some malicious people in gay life. No need to worry too much though, as long as you know what is happening. The worst thing that usually happens is thieving. Even this does not usually happen out on the streets or at bars and clubs, but usually if you go somewhere with someone that you do not now anything about. If you don't carry a lot of valuable things and money on you when you are out for cruising especially to places like parks, nothing significant should happen.  Do not go with local people (especially with bisexual men) to their places, and prefer public venues such as hamams or saunas instead, if your hotel is not suitable.
 

Istanbul Gay Pride 2007

Also avoid some tourist-hustlers that usually hangs around Taksim and sometimes around Sultanahmet who would want to take you to some scam bars/clubs to overcharge you. That bill can be up to 1000 Euro depending how far you follow your basic instincts instead of your logic. There are few clubs/bars like that but their hustlers are always around who probably take commission from these clubs. Simply stay away from people in these neighborhoods who are too friendly all of a sudden.

Another minor thing is that some but fewer taxi drivers over-ride tourists. Sometime it may be good to ask taxi driver how much you will pay for the place you go before hand. You may ask your hotel receptions to call you a taxi that they know to avoid this risk.  In general feel at home  and even be a little snob when necessary. Make sure that there is law in this country, and fight for your rights if needed. In fact ordinary Turkish people are very hospitable and nice people, but do not expect everyone you meet will be like that in such nightlife or tourist towns of the city. Istanbul is a big metropolis ultimately, where you can meet any kind of people.

 GAY ACTIVITIES:  The gay activities have become more and more visible during the last 20 years. The number of the gay venues has increased rapidly especially during the last 10 years. Taksim district of Beyoglu town on the European side of Istanbul is the center of almost all major gay venues. In fact, this district is the center of general local night life. There are many modern or traditional gay clubs, bars, saunas and hamams near the Taksim/Beyoglu area. This neighborhood is also frequented by many (mostly bisexual) rent-boys. Some of these boys can really be as handsome as film-stars indeed. There are also many clubs for transvestites and transsexuals in Taksim district. Indeed, the gay life of Istanbul is very colorful and vibrant. The first gay and lesbian organization of Turkey is also in Istanbul. Lambda Istanbul (see their websites)

These are just a few sample of famous Turkish men to show the variety of complexions Mind you, they are not gay !

 ETHNICITY:  Despite the caricaturized historical image of Turkish men in the western countries as dark-skinned men with big mustaches and big bellies, Turks are actually very European looking and beautiful race, definitely more white then the Spanish if not Italians or the French. Do not be surprised to see blond men with green eyes, if not many. Turkish people have no language or ethnic connection with the Arabs except the religion and its cultural influence.  In fact Turkish people are partly hybrid because, various nations lived together under Ottoman Empire rule such as Bulgarians, Serbs, Greeks, Jews, Arabs, Kurds, Georgians Armenians etc and its been a land of immigration because of its geographical position like a bridge between Asia and Europe.  Probably for that reason Turkish men are admired internationally by gay men from various nations including Americans, Europeans, Arabs, as well and Japanese and other nations of far eastern Asia. Especially the new generation boys and young men are very attractive who grew up with the pop images of private televisions. They know how to wear and how to act very well, even if they come from poorer families. Kurdish oriented Turkish citizens who are comparatively more dark forms the second largest ethnic group in Turkey (10-15 % of total population) who are also widely hybrid with Turks.  Kurdish oriented Turkish men are popular attraction group for some local gay men, probably like the Latin guys in USA or Western Europe.

 LAW AND REGULATIONS:  There is not any law against homosexuality in Turkey since the beginning of the republic period (1923). In fact, there is not any law at all concerning homosexuality. In theory, some general laws can be applied  if you make sex in places open to public, but it is never heard of such an incident in real life. The age of consent is 18, which also applies as the age limit to be able to enter bars and clubs selling alcohol. Although there are still some small defects with her democracy, Turkey is the most secular and democratic "Muslim country" in the world, much more closer to the western culture. The new democratic laws accepted by the parliament in 2002 and 2003 have improved this situation further more. Unfortunately, when a new law was being accepted to punish various discriminations in late 2004, sexual orientation was omitted by the present Government at the last minute. When critics grow, the Minister of Justice said that the phrase that means "discrimination against sexuality" already taking place in the latest regulation would automatically cover "sexual orientation" as well. Even this is can be considered as an improvement, when considering the present government is from the most conservative party that ever came to power in Turkey.  

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