Selay, on a normal day.
Comments welcome !
Ankara, first pictures.
Selay, on a normal day.
Comments welcome !
Mutlu in Ankara.
It's quite calm at home tonight, if you except the flat tv screaming Final Destination IV. Buse is not working. And I have to do an interview in a few minutes with Selay, at her place, wich is across the street. Pretty convienient. Today, Saly, Zelosh and I sepnt the day together. We went to the bank, to the dentist but it was closed due to a brocken machine, to the bank again and to Görkem. Görkem is a 45 years old trans. She's been a sex worker for 25 years. Nearly half of her life. Görken's body is visibly marked by the life she's been living. Her face is burnt due to oil injections some trans friends made to her a few years ago, to make her face more "plumpy". She had to spend one year and a half lying on a bed. She was too weak to go out. And work. No hospital wanted her. When I ask her if she wants to take part to the projet, she tells me "I have to. I know I will die soon. I want to leave something". I will see her tomorrow, and take photos.
I feel quite good in Ankara. I don't get lost, although it's quite uneasy to locate. Streets have no names, so you really have to take some landmarks. Can (Jan, remember?) managed to loose me one time... for one minute. He was quite happy about that. Can was supposed to leave last sunday, but he eventually left the home last tuesday. I will see him in Istambul, to take a few more pictures of him... and write an article about his vision of being a 18 years old gay boy in nowaday Turkey. We already did a long interview together. His point of view is really interesting.
Two days ago, we all were at home to wath the preview copy of TESLİMİYET, a turkish movie on the life four trans sex workers. The actors rock, and the story is really good. Actually, it's quite close to Buse's personal story. Noone can even imagine what she went through. The emotional, psychological and of course physical violence that transsexuals have to face is Turkey is perfectly depicted in the movie. We watched it in the dark, in Buse's living room. At then end, when we switched the light back, I was not the only one to have red eyes.
Oh. Yesterday morning, I deceided to walk Dost, Buse's dog. Dost is quite funny. He's small but barks loud. and he hates when people get hit. Buse, for joking, hit me on the shoulder and Dost nearly bite her. As usual, Buse laughed out this. That's Buse. So. Yesterday I was walking Dost. He first did his morning pee. But no poop. Dost like to poop on trees. So I looked for a tree and went close-by. Dost looked at me and pooped. It's quite funny actually, because Dost poops with one leg up. As he was peeing. What i didn't see were the three street dogs that were just behind the car that was behind the three. At the second Dost scratched the ground to mean "Ok, I just pooped", the three street dogs rushed on us, jaws open. Dost rans as hell. I followed. People were shouting stuff in turkish at us, and I puff-shouted back "I don't speak turkish". I was running as hell. The dogs were huge. And hairy. I think we all were quite Buste Keatony : Dost the small dog running in front, me following with the red leash in hand, and the three massive dogs. Eventually, we made it at home. I think since this little adventure, Dost and I are more close.
I feel quite good in Ankara. I don't get lost, although it's quite uneasy to locate. Streets have no names, so you really have to take some landmarks. Can (Jan, remember?) managed to loose me one time... for one minute. He was quite happy about that. Can was supposed to leave last sunday, but he eventually left the home last tuesday. I will see him in Istambul, to take a few more pictures of him... and write an article about his vision of being a 18 years old gay boy in nowaday Turkey. We already did a long interview together. His point of view is really interesting.
Two days ago, we all were at home to wath the preview copy of TESLİMİYET, a turkish movie on the life four trans sex workers. The actors rock, and the story is really good. Actually, it's quite close to Buse's personal story. Noone can even imagine what she went through. The emotional, psychological and of course physical violence that transsexuals have to face is Turkey is perfectly depicted in the movie. We watched it in the dark, in Buse's living room. At then end, when we switched the light back, I was not the only one to have red eyes.
Oh. Yesterday morning, I deceided to walk Dost, Buse's dog. Dost is quite funny. He's small but barks loud. and he hates when people get hit. Buse, for joking, hit me on the shoulder and Dost nearly bite her. As usual, Buse laughed out this. That's Buse. So. Yesterday I was walking Dost. He first did his morning pee. But no poop. Dost like to poop on trees. So I looked for a tree and went close-by. Dost looked at me and pooped. It's quite funny actually, because Dost poops with one leg up. As he was peeing. What i didn't see were the three street dogs that were just behind the car that was behind the three. At the second Dost scratched the ground to mean "Ok, I just pooped", the three street dogs rushed on us, jaws open. Dost rans as hell. I followed. People were shouting stuff in turkish at us, and I puff-shouted back "I don't speak turkish". I was running as hell. The dogs were huge. And hairy. I think we all were quite Buste Keatony : Dost the small dog running in front, me following with the red leash in hand, and the three massive dogs. Eventually, we made it at home. I think since this little adventure, Dost and I are more close.
Bem yok alik.
I improve my knowledge in turkish language. Now I can say things like "I'm not supid", "go fuck yourself", "mother fucker", and other stuff I can't publish here in fear of Blogger censorship. I'm waiting for Can (still pronouce "Jan") who's in the shower. We go to the phone shop where three days ago I bought a phone that happened to be not working. I brought it back and lost the phone chip meanwhile. We're trying to solve this and also visit Kojatepe, the big mosk. Can never visited it and wants to come with me.
Today was kind of a slow day. We were supposed to go to Ayda's home, but instead we stayed at home chatting. Buse and I, through the help of Zelosh for the transmation, discussed about the structure of the project. It will be a "capsule", a bit like here : http://www.mediastorm.org/
It's quite difficult for me to build an editorial line, since I have three mediums at disposal (writing, film and photos) that I have to organized in a coherent way. But I think I have something quite ok, as for now. Of course I lack of stuff, and need to take more photos and film. But the direction is here. I did my litle precious "what elements are still lacking" list. So since now, I got to stick to the plan. I'm not late, but still have many stuff to shoot...
Yesterday, I spent some time with Can. We did an interview together and some photos in Ankara. If I have time, I will go to Istambul to do a complete work on Can. I really like him. He's complietely off-cliché. And has many things to say. Yesterday evening was quite busy. I was doing an interview of Selay, when her phone rang. One of her friends had been badly beaten by the police. Uniformed policement that hit her, as she was going out to work. Selay's friend is a sex worker. Selay phoned Buse, Buse phoned the lawyer, and Selay when to the police station to take her friend back home. Selay then went back to her place, picked me up, and we went to Merve's place. Merve lives with four other girls. We all chatted, smoked and drank beers. It's quite amazing to see how many people smoke in Turkey. Definitely not the NicoPatch country. I took some photos of Selay. I need some shots when she's having fun with friends. We went back home quite late.
Tomorrow, I will go to Toprak's place. I have to be there quite early, because I want to do illustrations shots. Toprak's life will be an entire project. So I have to work quite a lot to get some stuff to put in it ! I'm quite happy to got to his place, since he's a really good chef... Buse also is a good chef (she reads this blog. Hello Buse ! Merhaba) but Toprak had been working in restaurants in Ankara. So... He rocks.
Oh. The last friday party. As would Can say "mmh. Interesting."
First photos to come.
Soon.
Today was kind of a slow day. We were supposed to go to Ayda's home, but instead we stayed at home chatting. Buse and I, through the help of Zelosh for the transmation, discussed about the structure of the project. It will be a "capsule", a bit like here : http://www.mediastorm.org/
It's quite difficult for me to build an editorial line, since I have three mediums at disposal (writing, film and photos) that I have to organized in a coherent way. But I think I have something quite ok, as for now. Of course I lack of stuff, and need to take more photos and film. But the direction is here. I did my litle precious "what elements are still lacking" list. So since now, I got to stick to the plan. I'm not late, but still have many stuff to shoot...
Yesterday, I spent some time with Can. We did an interview together and some photos in Ankara. If I have time, I will go to Istambul to do a complete work on Can. I really like him. He's complietely off-cliché. And has many things to say. Yesterday evening was quite busy. I was doing an interview of Selay, when her phone rang. One of her friends had been badly beaten by the police. Uniformed policement that hit her, as she was going out to work. Selay's friend is a sex worker. Selay phoned Buse, Buse phoned the lawyer, and Selay when to the police station to take her friend back home. Selay then went back to her place, picked me up, and we went to Merve's place. Merve lives with four other girls. We all chatted, smoked and drank beers. It's quite amazing to see how many people smoke in Turkey. Definitely not the NicoPatch country. I took some photos of Selay. I need some shots when she's having fun with friends. We went back home quite late.
Tomorrow, I will go to Toprak's place. I have to be there quite early, because I want to do illustrations shots. Toprak's life will be an entire project. So I have to work quite a lot to get some stuff to put in it ! I'm quite happy to got to his place, since he's a really good chef... Buse also is a good chef (she reads this blog. Hello Buse ! Merhaba) but Toprak had been working in restaurants in Ankara. So... He rocks.
Oh. The last friday party. As would Can say "mmh. Interesting."
First photos to come.
Soon.
Ankara cok deli !
Fifth day in Ankara. I'm in the leaving room of Buse's house. Zelosh and Buse are chatting and drink coffee in the huge orange sofa. They laugh and debrief about last evening. Dost, Buse's dog, sleeps next to her. Nazle is cooking. Can is listening to electro music. Buse is one of the transsexual I'm taking pictures of. She's blonde, tall, have perfect white teeth and spend two thirds of her days with a smile on her face.
Buse is the founder and president of Pembe Hayat, the most powerful and most representative LGBTT association in Turkey. Buse is an activisit. She fights restlessly. Field worker, spokesperson, social worker, lobbyist. During the day, Buse does it all. At 10 PM, Buse puts her black high heeled boots on and opens the door on her second life. She's a sex worker. Every night, she and Selay go to work together. Selay lives across the street. Every night, they drive together their black car in the "trans-streets" of Ankara. Selay is behind the wheel most of the time. They work together because of the violent customers, beacause of the police, because of the weirdos. They care on each other. Every night.
In turkey, trans-women don't have any choice but being sex workers. There's no other way. The turkish id system, with its two colors (blue for men, pink for women) prevent them from getting any other job. Although Turkey is third country in the world in term of transsexual population, no rights are granted for trans. They are harrased by the police. Nobody protects them, eithey socially, medically or legally. They have to defend themselves. Hate crimes are commonnly perpetrated against transsexuals. Violent, bloody, shocking hate crimes.
Three days after my arrival, Buse came back home early. She couldn't work, because of the police. She wanted to show me where she was working. We all went : Buse, Selay, Zelosh, Can (pronouce Jan) and I. We where filming and taking photos. A police car came from behing. Lights on. Selay went back in the car. Mini-chase. Selay drives fast, with a precision of a rallye pilot. Once she lost the police car, we started doing photos again. A small white van stopped by. Policemen. A fight started. Policemen in their car. Buse, Selay and the rest of us in the other car. I filmed the scene, as discreetly as I could. Not to put anyone at risk. Eventually, the cops went away. In our car, pressure went down. Everybody laughed again. And we went to the only trans club in Ankara.
Today, the weather is cloudy. I should have gone to Toprak home, but he cancelled. When I do this kind of project, I'm always afraid one of the person I take pictures of deceides, for any reason, to eventually say no. This is not the case for Toprak. He was too busy today. Toprak is a FtM trans. Female to Male. He lives one hour away from Ankara, in a huge surbub where you only can find shopping malls and buildings. Thousands and thousands of towers. All built on the same model. He lives there with his girlfriend. I'll go and shoot them next week. Hope so. I even think that if what I get is good, I'll do specific project on them.
Inch' Allah.
So today, I will scout Ankara for some illustration shots. Tocatepe -the mosk, cats, birds, traffic jams, streets. Life. Tonight is Pembe Hayat big party. It's going to be quite fun, I guess. I hope I can do nice shots. Tomorrow, I meet Aida. If she's no too tired.
Nazle just finished the soup. She did a yogurt soup, with spices. Buse, Zelosh, Nazle and Can are aroud the big coffee table.
And Buse is laughing.
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