TK's Traditional Turkish Wedding
TK is a good friend of mine. We've known each other for 8 years. When I first arrived in Switezrland 10 years ago, my favorite hobbies other than travelling were the gym and going out dancing at house parties on weekends.
The first time I saw TK was on stage at one of these house parties, dressed in drag and performing brilliantly. I'll never forget how made-up he was and his trademark: fishnet stockings and those HUGE chunky-heeled boots. I often asked myself how he could even walk in those things, let alone dance up a storm with other Drag Queens on various stage settings.
I remember reading various articles written about TK in the local paper. I would clip them out and paste them in my scrapbook, making a mental note to show and tell all my friends upon returning to Canada. They could never imagine if I simply just told them about TK the drag queen. A picture would sum it up fairly well.
TK was so successful as a drag queen that he was often asked to perform at the gay night club QUEENS, located on Les Champs-Elysées in Paris. It was no secret that TK was gay, and flamboyantly so. Apparently always had been.
I had the opportunity to finally meet TK in person at the local gym, where I used to teach classes. We immediately hit it off. He was so funny and loved to chat. There was instant chemistry between us and we've been good friends ever since. In fact, he and Miles even share the same birthday.
TK is of Turkish origin. His family being moderate muslims. Following September 11th 2001 I noticed that he his interests suddenly took a different orientation. He became more and more involved in his moslem religion and looked up to an Imam for spiritual guidance. He let a beard grow and started wearing very lame, traditional Turkish clothes. I also noticed that he wouldn't greet me like he normally did anymore (3 kisses on each cheek) because I am a woman and his religion forbids this sort of contact.
While he was being treated by me at the dental office, he announced that he was getting married to a WOMAN in 3 weeks! (so apprently this means that he is no longer homosexual--something not tolerated by moslem culture, obviously). Mat and I were invited and went.
TK absolutely wanted a traditional Turkish wedding, which means that the women and men are segregated throughout the entire duration of the festivities. This idea did not appeal to me in the least but my curiosity got the best of me.
Upon arrival, Mat and I parked our BMW among a sea of other (bigger) BMW's and Mercedes. One thing that I must explain here is that foreighners from the Balkans and Turkey who live in Switzerland have one big goal in life: owning a big BMW or Mercedes. Often the entire family saves everything they can and contributes to the vehicle fund, even if this means living in shitty crammed appartements with 8 other people in cheap neighbourhoods. The BMW and Mercedes automobile is the ultimate status-symbol for these people and driving one screams that "they've made it!".
Heading towards the entrance, we were not even 20 meters from the front door when we were confronted by several older men wearing big mustaches and wooly hats frantically waving their arms and pointing at ME to go through the entrance designated for women (Actually I just assume that is what they meant--they were yelling to me in jibberish Turkish.) I had to firmly tell them in German that I needed a moment to discuss with my husband (about when we were going to get the hell outta there!)
I then proceeded towards the women's entrance and was a little shocked to enter a room with 200+ burka-wearing women with their out-of-control children. I knew not a soul and began to desperately scope out the "Western-looking women", which I was lucky to find... (albeit in very minimal numbers, like 2).
I approached these 2 women, who also looked a little lost and asked them a question. Lucky for me, they were super nice and very chatty. I took a seat next to them and we just talked and talked until I received a phone call from Mat 30 minutes later.
Mat was not so lucky. Mat stuck out like a sore thumb in many ways. With his perfectly tailored Calvin Klein suit and tie, his clean-cut hair and shiny shoes, he looked like a CIA agent among a group of moslem terrorists. We were both completely overdressed among the guests styled like BORAT. People were giving him suspicious looks and nobody dared to approach him. Mat endured 30 minutes of standing around, obviously being the only Christian guy among 200 moslems.
The air was filled with LOUD Turkish traditional music, the smell of various spices, and there were even some religious dudes selling their Korans and other moslim paraphalenia.
When they brought out the food (a paper plate filled with big chunks of vegetables, at a time when Mat was looking forward to sinking his teeth into a big juicy Kebab), that was the cue for Mat to call me up and leave...which we did...45 minutes after arriving.
En route to home I felt a little bad since we had stayed for such a short time and didn't even get to see the groom or the bride. At the same time however, we obviously didn't fit in with this crowd. If Mat would have been as lucky as I was and would have met someone to socialize with, we would have stayed, no doubt.
Despite that, I sincerely hope that TK lives a long and happy life with his new bride and I also hope that this is truly his destiny...I could not imagine anything worse than living a lie...
The first time I saw TK was on stage at one of these house parties, dressed in drag and performing brilliantly. I'll never forget how made-up he was and his trademark: fishnet stockings and those HUGE chunky-heeled boots. I often asked myself how he could even walk in those things, let alone dance up a storm with other Drag Queens on various stage settings.
I remember reading various articles written about TK in the local paper. I would clip them out and paste them in my scrapbook, making a mental note to show and tell all my friends upon returning to Canada. They could never imagine if I simply just told them about TK the drag queen. A picture would sum it up fairly well.
TK was so successful as a drag queen that he was often asked to perform at the gay night club QUEENS, located on Les Champs-Elysées in Paris. It was no secret that TK was gay, and flamboyantly so. Apparently always had been.
I had the opportunity to finally meet TK in person at the local gym, where I used to teach classes. We immediately hit it off. He was so funny and loved to chat. There was instant chemistry between us and we've been good friends ever since. In fact, he and Miles even share the same birthday.
TK is of Turkish origin. His family being moderate muslims. Following September 11th 2001 I noticed that he his interests suddenly took a different orientation. He became more and more involved in his moslem religion and looked up to an Imam for spiritual guidance. He let a beard grow and started wearing very lame, traditional Turkish clothes. I also noticed that he wouldn't greet me like he normally did anymore (3 kisses on each cheek) because I am a woman and his religion forbids this sort of contact.
While he was being treated by me at the dental office, he announced that he was getting married to a WOMAN in 3 weeks! (so apprently this means that he is no longer homosexual--something not tolerated by moslem culture, obviously). Mat and I were invited and went.
TK absolutely wanted a traditional Turkish wedding, which means that the women and men are segregated throughout the entire duration of the festivities. This idea did not appeal to me in the least but my curiosity got the best of me.
Upon arrival, Mat and I parked our BMW among a sea of other (bigger) BMW's and Mercedes. One thing that I must explain here is that foreighners from the Balkans and Turkey who live in Switzerland have one big goal in life: owning a big BMW or Mercedes. Often the entire family saves everything they can and contributes to the vehicle fund, even if this means living in shitty crammed appartements with 8 other people in cheap neighbourhoods. The BMW and Mercedes automobile is the ultimate status-symbol for these people and driving one screams that "they've made it!".
Heading towards the entrance, we were not even 20 meters from the front door when we were confronted by several older men wearing big mustaches and wooly hats frantically waving their arms and pointing at ME to go through the entrance designated for women (Actually I just assume that is what they meant--they were yelling to me in jibberish Turkish.) I had to firmly tell them in German that I needed a moment to discuss with my husband (about when we were going to get the hell outta there!)
I then proceeded towards the women's entrance and was a little shocked to enter a room with 200+ burka-wearing women with their out-of-control children. I knew not a soul and began to desperately scope out the "Western-looking women", which I was lucky to find... (albeit in very minimal numbers, like 2).
I approached these 2 women, who also looked a little lost and asked them a question. Lucky for me, they were super nice and very chatty. I took a seat next to them and we just talked and talked until I received a phone call from Mat 30 minutes later.
Mat was not so lucky. Mat stuck out like a sore thumb in many ways. With his perfectly tailored Calvin Klein suit and tie, his clean-cut hair and shiny shoes, he looked like a CIA agent among a group of moslem terrorists. We were both completely overdressed among the guests styled like BORAT. People were giving him suspicious looks and nobody dared to approach him. Mat endured 30 minutes of standing around, obviously being the only Christian guy among 200 moslems.
The air was filled with LOUD Turkish traditional music, the smell of various spices, and there were even some religious dudes selling their Korans and other moslim paraphalenia.
When they brought out the food (a paper plate filled with big chunks of vegetables, at a time when Mat was looking forward to sinking his teeth into a big juicy Kebab), that was the cue for Mat to call me up and leave...which we did...45 minutes after arriving.
En route to home I felt a little bad since we had stayed for such a short time and didn't even get to see the groom or the bride. At the same time however, we obviously didn't fit in with this crowd. If Mat would have been as lucky as I was and would have met someone to socialize with, we would have stayed, no doubt.
Despite that, I sincerely hope that TK lives a long and happy life with his new bride and I also hope that this is truly his destiny...I could not imagine anything worse than living a lie...
posted by toothfairy72 at 6:49 AM
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