ABSTRACT

In the dictionaries I 'transvestism' is translated as a lay I hiciv I karikatiir, and takiit, words meaning 'mockery,' 'caricature,' or 'imitation.' The (foreign) word transseksiiel is heard much less than kor,;ek, which used to denote 'a young dancer dressed like a woman,' but now covers both transvestites and transsexuals. In Turkey it is difficult to base a division on the desire for a sexchange operation, since all my transvestite informants confided to me that they would like to undergo sex change if it were not for the expense. They claimed that everybody in their circles shared this wish.