Turkey blocks cruise ship carrying 2,000 LGBTQ+ passengers and a ‘furious’ Patti LuPone, citing ‘moral values’
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- Turkey has blocked a cruise ship carrying 2,000 LGBTQ+ passengers and Broadway star Patti LuPone from docking.
- Authorities cited the passengers' behavior as not aligning with societal and moral values.
- The ship, Virgin Voyages' Scarlet Lady, was on an all-gay voyage organized by Atlantis.
A cruise ship carrying 2,000 LGBTQ+ passengers and Broadway performer Patti LuPone was denied entry into Turkey. Local authorities stated that the passengers' behavior did not align with the country's societal structure and moral values. The vessel, Virgin Voyages' Scarlet Lady, had departed from Athens, Greece, on July 5 for a 10-day "epic all-gay voyage" organized by Atlantis, a company specializing in LGBTQ+ travel.
Patti LuPone, who is performing on the ship, expressed her shock at the decision. The ship was scheduled to dock in Kuşadası. The ban has caused significant disappointment among the passengers who were anticipating the stop.
The incident highlights the ongoing tension between LGBTQ+ rights and conservative values in some regions. While the cruise was designed as a celebration for the LGBTQ+ community, Turkish authorities took a stance against what they perceived as a clash with local norms.
their behaviour didn’t “align with the structure of our society and our moral values”
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Originally published by The Guardian. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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