AI Generated Image
Turkey bars American LGBTQ+ cruise from ports, citing 'moral values'
New York Post • • world
Key Points:
- Turkey has blocked an American LGBTQ+ cruise, organized by Atlantis Events, from docking at two Turkish ports citing “moral values,” reflecting the government's hardline stance on LGBTQ+ issues.
- The cruise, originally scheduled to stop in Kuşadası and Istanbul, will now visit Cairo and the Greek island of Crete instead.
- Turkish authorities stated the ban was due to the group’s behaviors being “incompatible with the fabric of our society and our moral values,” marking the first time in 36 years Atlantis Events has been denied port access because of passenger identity.
- The cruise, carrying around 1,900 passengers including approximately 1,100 from the U.S., is not a political event but a leisure trip, according to Atlantis Events CEO Rich Campbell.
- Under President Erdoğan’s government, Turkey has increasingly restricted LGBTQ+ events, including banning Istanbul Pride marches since 2015.
