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groundloop

(14,027 posts)
Mon Jul 6, 2026, 09:05 AM 8 hrs ago

Turkey blocks cruise ship carrying 2,000 LGBTQ+ passengers and a 'furious' Patti LuPone, citing 'moral values'

Source: The Guardian

A cruise ship carrying 2,000 LGBTQ+ passengers and the Broadway performer Patti LuPone has been blocked from entering Turkey after local authorities said their behaviour didn’t “align with the structure of our society and our moral values”.

Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady set sail from Athens, Greece, on 5 July for what was billed as “an epic all-gay voyage” over 10 days run by Atlantis, a US company that puts on cruises and vacations for LGBTQ+ people.

The Scarlet Lady was expected to dock in the Turkish port town of Kuşadası on 7 July, followed by a trip to Istanbul.

But authorities in Turkey’s Aydin province, where Kuşadası is, published a statement online saying the cruise was chartered “by groups known for behaviours that do not align with the structure of our society and our moral values”.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/06/turkey-blocks-lgbtq-cruise-ship-citing-moral-values-ntwnfb

11 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Turkey blocks cruise ship carrying 2,000 LGBTQ+ passengers and a 'furious' Patti LuPone, citing 'moral values' (Original Post) groundloop 8 hrs ago OP
Turkish society is mostly Muslim luv2fly 7 hrs ago #1
This appears to be a new escalation by Turkiye. Anyway, the ship is now going to Egypt. Eugene 7 hrs ago #2
All religions suck b4lls wolfie001 5 hrs ago #7
There's a wonderful meme with Maggie Smith, all decked out in her Downton Abbey wardrobe. Talitha 3 hrs ago #9
Yes! wolfie001 1 hr ago #10
Turkey lecturing anybody on moral values is rich. Ritabert 7 hrs ago #3
I hope Turkey LOSES lots of $$$. riversedge 5 hrs ago #5
Yes! Ritabert 4 hrs ago #8
assholes Blues Heron 6 hrs ago #4
"Atlantis has docked gay cruises in Istanbul and Kuşadası 13 times in the last 25 years" dalton99a 5 hrs ago #6
Hello? Roy Rolling 1 hr ago #11

luv2fly

(2,793 posts)
1. Turkish society is mostly Muslim
Mon Jul 6, 2026, 09:18 AM
7 hrs ago

This really shouldn't surprise people, and the organizers of the cruise apparently didn't do their research.

Eugene

(67,484 posts)
2. This appears to be a new escalation by Turkiye. Anyway, the ship is now going to Egypt.
Mon Jul 6, 2026, 09:29 AM
7 hrs ago

tourist revenue facing rising "family values" religious backlash

wolfie001

(8,259 posts)
7. All religions suck b4lls
Mon Jul 6, 2026, 11:57 AM
5 hrs ago

If they just prayed in their "houses" of worship, fine, but they go out and f6ck everything up. It all starts nice and kind and innocent and the next thing you know: auto-da-fé.

Talitha

(8,263 posts)
9. There's a wonderful meme with Maggie Smith, all decked out in her Downton Abbey wardrobe.
Mon Jul 6, 2026, 01:58 PM
3 hrs ago

It says:

"My dear, religion is like a penis. It's a perfectly fine thing for one to have and take pride in. But when one takes it out and waves it in my face, we have a problem."

Ritabert

(2,894 posts)
3. Turkey lecturing anybody on moral values is rich.
Mon Jul 6, 2026, 09:43 AM
7 hrs ago

It's like MAGA "Christians" lecturing us on family values.

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