Türkiye’s Women’s Volleyball Team For the WIN!

And a Queer Twist for Another WIN! ✨

Recent headlines have taken over the Turkish and European news with the victory of the Turkish women’s volleyball team at the 2023 European Championship.

Ebrar Karakurt, one of the openly LGBTQ+ players on Turkey’s women’s volleyball team, tweets (or X’s?):

“This isn’t the first final we’ve played, nor the first psychological warfare we’ve had.”

What is going on? Why did she say that?

Let’s take a look at some headlines about this Historical Win:

• LGBTQ+ volleyball champion hits a nerve in Turkey’s culture war
• Turkey: Women’s volleyball victory overshadowed by row over LGBTQ+ player
• Turks rally around Olympic volleyball star attacked over sexuality
• Turkey’s Women’s Volleyball Team Inspires Pride
• Amid Struggles, Turkey Finds Heroes in Its Women’s Volleyball Team

So, you might be wondering, didn’t Turkey just win the 2023 European Championship?

Why is the LGBTQ+ community and matters of sexuality taking center stage in this celebration of a huge achievement?

The answer lies in the courage of female athletes like Ebrar Karakurt and others who openly identify as LGBTQ+ within Turkey’s Women’s Volleyball Team.

Here, we will not only delve into the exciting victory but also shed light on the complex global dynamics surrounding LGBTQ+ communities.

If you don’t know, I am Turkish-born living in the United States. Many of my close friends here are part of the LGBTQ+ community, making this journey a deeply personal and heartening one as Turkey takes a significant step forward in its ongoing battle for progress and inclusivity.

Politics of Turkey

For those who may not know, Turkey is a country with a secular foundation. Despite the majority of its population being Muslim, Turkey remains a unique convergence point for various religions, cultures, and beliefs.

Much like many other countries, Turkey is divided into two distinct groups. One group fights to uphold its secular principles, while the other leans toward conservatism.

Sounds familiar?

It’s hard to deny the resemblance to the political issues of many other countries. The ongoing dynamic between liberals and conservatives in the United States could be a good example for comparison.

Growing up in Istanbul, I witnessed a time of freedom and safety in our streets before the conservative regime came to power, casting a shadow of unease that has made me personally hesitant to wear certain clothing or speak up about what I believe in.

LGBTQ+ Players

Ebrar Karakurt’s post about psychological warfare makes us wonder about what might be going on over there.

It started in July 2023 when the “Sultans of the Net,” as we call them, the Turkish Women’s Volleyball Team, won one of the most significant volleyball leagues in the world: The Volleyball Nations League 2023.

In the past years, these players have dealt with hate and homophobia as some conservatives have prayed for them not to win any Championship because they didn’t want the gay players to be on the team.

The conservatives don’t like the fact that there are two openly gay players on the team. Moreover, they hate their tattoos, dyed hair, and their clothes.

In 2021, Ebrar Karakurt had to take down a photo of her girlfriend because of the overwhelming hate she got. As much as she’s one of the best players on the team, this doesn’t stop the haters and the anti-LGBTQ+ backlash from the conservatives.

Another queer player on the team is Melissa Vargas, a Cuban-born Turkish player who was the MVP at the 2023 Volleyball Nations League.

Erin Cunningham writes in the Washington Post:

“In Turkey, it’s not a crime to be gay. But LGBT activists see a rising threat.”

During the 2023 European Championship, the conservatives took the hatred further by openly expressing a desire for the team’s failure. But the “liberals” responded with a rally on the streets of Istanbul in support of the national team.

Among the beautiful scenes were young Turkish girls, proudly waving our flag as they look up at the Sultans of the Net, their role models, dreaming of one day following in their footsteps.

I couldn’t help but remember my teenage years, when I was also one of those excited young girls, aspiring to be just like the Sultans of the Net.

Despite the hate and backlash, the Sultans of the Net have won the 2023 European Championship for the first time ever.

Why are some faithful people so hateful?

I ask this question to myself every day wherever I am in the world as the struggle of the LGBTQ+ community in Florida and many other states/countries is no different.

It’s confusing how individuals who hold their faith dear can sometimes harbor such intense negativity and hatred towards others.

The drive to impose your beliefs on others mostly will lead to a loss of perspective on your own faith. It’s also essential to recognize that not all believers share the same approach.

I know many good-hearted and peaceful believers who practice their religion privately, without feeling the need to assert their opinions and beliefs onto others.

Those who label certain things “haram” or “sinful” need to tell it to themselves and not shout it to the world.

Still to this day, I wonder who taught them that others’ sins affect them too. And isn’t hate and praying for someone to fail a sin too?

Hatred is a powerful emotion, and in many cases, those who spread hate toward others don’t have anything to do with religion but everything to do with division.

It’s because religion, at its core, often promotes values of love, compassion, and understanding.

So, what’s the real problem?

The real problem is uneducated people who have been brainwashed and live in a cage they’ve built in their minds.

The real problem is the system that keeps them in that cage for its own benefit.

The real problem is the education system that doesn’t evolve while we evolve as species.

The real problem is not religion, not believers, and not conservatives, but those who spread hate in the name of God, a religious scripture, or a politician.

One can only hope that someday these individuals will realize that the actions of others have no bearing on their own lives. As long as someone’s choices don’t harm anyone, they should be free to live as they please.

I hope one day these hateful people can wake up to the fact that others’ actions don’t affect their lives, religion, or their “place in heaven.” As long as someone’s choices don’t harm anyone, they can do whatever the hell they want.

Go Ebrar Karakurt, Melissa Vargas and the entire national volleyball team in Turkey! Let’s continue fighting the good fight for freedom.