Turkey: 'Drag is a political act'
Ilker Yazici — aka Miss Putka — performs drag in Istanbul and campaigns for the rights of LGBTQ+ people. Faced with a barrage of anti-gay propaganda in Turkey, both activities require plenty of courage.
Educating the audience
Ilker Yazici, 23, poses in drag costume as "Miss Putka." The stage name is derived from a slang word for vagina. "Drag is a political act," Yazici told the Reuters news agency. "The audience probably look at me and think, 'What is this freak doing?' I’m getting them used to seeing something they are not used to seeing."
Dare to drag
Yazici and a team of professional dancers perform every weekend at Istanbul's XLarge Club. It takes courage to perform drag in public. Homosexuality is not a crime in Turkey, but hostility toward queer people is widespread.
Not necessarily 'traditional family values'
There is a lot of fear in the Turkish queer community following last year's election campaign. At the time, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan labeled LGBTQ+ groups as deviant and promised to strengthen "traditional family values."
Uncertainty ahead
Yazici is concerned about community attitudes. "I don't know what the future will hold for me here," he said. "It is so unpredictable." Drag is no longer a hobby for him — it's a regular job, but also an essential way to express himself, something he wants to do for as long as he can.
Personal struggles with sexuality
Yazici knew he was gay since puberty. "At first I struggled with myself a lot," he said. "You grow up in the Middle East. It is not easy. I felt like I was the only one, just like how most LGBTQ people feel."
Starting a career in drag
But Yazici has never felt the need to hide. The performer grew up in Ankara, where he took part in protests for LGBTQ+ rights. He later spent two years traveling across the country to perform at events for the gay magazine, GZone, which started his drag career.
Two faces, one performer
Yazici's conservative father knows nothing about his drag life. "When I go on stage as a drag queen, the makeup makes me feel like I am hiding behind a mask," he said. "Miss Putka is a confident person, very open to communication. I am not."
Fiery performance
Tailor Fatih Temellioglu helps Yazici try on a new stage outfit which is (one hopes) fireproof, for the drag artist's favorite act. "I love the performance where I shoot flames from my conical breasts while singing Rihanna songs," Yazici told Reuters.