Bülent Ersoy
| Bülent Ersoy | |
|---|---|
Bülent Ersoy performing during a concert
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Bülent Erkoç |
| Also known as | Diva, Abla |
| Born |
9 June 1952 Istanbul, Turkey |
| Genres | Ottoman classical music, Arabesque |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, actress |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1974–present |
| Website | www |
Bülent Ersoy (Turkish pronunciation: [byˈlent ˈeɾsoj]; born 9 June 1952) is a Turkish trans woman, actress, celebrity and popular singer of Ottoman classical music. She is known as one of the greatest singers of Turkish music, fans called her Diva. She has very famous hits such as "Geceler" (Nights), "Beddua" (Curse), "Maazallah" (God Forbid!), "Biz Ayrılamayız" (We Cannot Break Up), "Sefam Olsun" (I Enjoy Myself), "Bir Tanrıyı Bir de Beni Sakın Unutma" (Never Ever Forget God and Me).
Bülent Ersoy was born Bülent Erkoç on 9 June 1952 in Malatya, Turkey. Bülent began her career as a male singer, in the genre of Turkish classical music, and became an actor early on. Already one of Turkey's most popular male singers and actors, she gained international notoriety in 1981 after having sex reassignment surgery in London by a British plastic surgeon. she kept the name "Bülent" even though it is a male name.
After the operation, Ersoy found herself in opposition to 1980 Turkish coup d'état of Kenan Evren. In a crackdown on "social deviance," Ersoy's public performances were banned along with those of other transsexual and transgender people. From Ersoy's standpoint, the ban should not have even applied to her, as she was an actual woman and not simply a man dressed as one. To circumvent the ban, she petitioned the Turkish courts to legally recognize her as a woman. The petition was rejected in January 1982. Days later, she attempted suicide. In 1983, she left Turkey in protest of the Evren regime's repressive policies and continued her career in Germany. Later on in the decade in 1989 Evren left office and many of his policies were rescinded.
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Wikipedia