Since the early 2000s, Turkish lesbian life has
experienced increased visibility, particularly in
Istanbul. Over the years, several lesbian venues have
opened, providing safe spaces for the community.
However, it wasn’t always this way. Prior to these
developments, lesbians were a small minority within the
broader gay scene in Istanbul. Many had no choice but to
frequent male gay bars, as there were very few
lesbian-friendly establishments.
Traditionally, conservative family structures and
security concerns played a significant role in limiting
the freedom of young, single women in Turkey. Going out
alone and staying out until the early morning hours was
often discouraged by parents. However, since the early
1990s, there has been a notable shift in this
traditional family dynamic.
As societal attitudes evolve, women—both in general and
within the lesbian community—now enjoy greater freedom.
The internet has played a crucial role in fostering
positive changes. Turkish lesbian women are more visible
online, and various local chat channels, dating
websites, and personal groups have emerged, uniting them
in their shared experiences.
Bigudi
Club (21:00 - 03:00 / 04:00)
Bekar
Sokak, No:23, Beyoglu, Istanbul
Click here for reviews, location map and more
Bigudi is the first ever exclusively lesbian venue
opened in Turkey. The venue has been closed down,
re-opened and changed location several times since it
was first opened in December 2006. As of November 2024
Bigudi Club moved to a new address indicated above.
Former Lesbian Bars and Clubs
Following venues may
still be listed on some out-dated internet websites or
printed guides. We
are listing them so that you can be sure they do not
exit anymore.
*
Gia Club - On October 15th 2019 Club Gia has
announced on their Facebook page that they will close
for a season, until an unknown time.
* Rocinante Bar - Its became a male gay bar since mid
2010's.
* Catwalk Women Club - Closed in a very short time
in 2013
* SSS Women Club - Opened and closed down in 2012
* Karantina - Closed down in 2010, short time after
it was opened.
Rocinante Bar (20:00- 02:00)
Ogut
Sokak, No:6, Beyoglu, Istanbul (2nd floor).
Click here for reviews, location map and more
Rocinante used to be a meeting place for Turkish
lesbians in the mid-2000s. However, it later transformed
into a predominantly male gay bar. You might still
encounter other lesbian patrons there, and despite the
change, you can still feel comfortable. They host live
music and other low-key performances on various days of
the week. The place tends to get busier between 22:00
and 1:00 a.m.
Love Club (23:30 - 05:00)
Cumhuriyet Caddesi
No: 349 Harbiye Istanbul.
Click
here for reviews, location map and more
Love club is a LGBT club popular among trendy people. It
has a fairly mixed clientele, and many women including
lesbians can be seen there. It is open on Friday and
Saturday nights. Saturday is the most busy night and
there are some good shows usually. They are quiet
demanding about the admission fee on Saturday nights.
The tickets are around 10 $ with whicy you should get 1
local drink when you get inside. The entrance of the club is
on a very narrow lane between two blocks of apartment,
on the left hand side if you come from Taksim direction.
Super Fabric (23:00 - 05:00)
Cumhuriyet Caddesi
No:42 Elmadag,
Istanbul
Click here
for reviews, location map and more
Although it was opened in late October 2014, Super
Fabric is not new to gay night clubbers living in
Istanbul. It is located at some 10 minutes walking distance
to the north of Taksim Square,across from Konak Hotel.
Super Fabric is not open on some week-in days, hence it
is advised to check out their Facebook posts to make
sure when there are open.. The price, atmosphere and
clientele of Love Club and Super Fabric are very
similar, where you can also see few lesbian women.
See Also:
Please
click here
for a complete list of gay bars and clubs in Istanbul
Check out our
LGBT Map for exact locations of all gay and
lesbian venues in Istanbul
Despite the numerous venues in Istanbul where LGBT
individuals can feel at ease, we can comfortably
recommend the following straight venues to our
lesbian visitors.
Gizli Bahce Bar - Nevizade Sk. No:15, 34435
Beyoğlu/İstanbul
Babel Cafe & Restaurant - Turnacıbaşı Cd.
No:56, Beyoğlu
Mecra Bar
- Dumlupinar Sk No:5, Kadıköy
Salpa Vegan Bar
- Piri Çavuş Sk. No:3, Kadıköy
Bocek Cafe - Moda Cad,
Bademaltı Sk. 17/A,Kadıköy
Dozens of internet websites, social media pages, and
applications serve as platforms where Turkish lesbian women
interact with one another. However, these platforms are
predominantly in Turkish. For those seeking English-speaking
connections, Turkish lesbians actively engage with Turkish
LGBT organizations. These organizations provide a space where
English speakers are more likely to be found, such as:
Kaosgl.Org
- Ankara
SPoD -
Istanbul
Lambda Istanbul
- Istanbul
Genclgbti.org - Izmir
Sportif Lezbon
A Turkish female soccer team consisting of mostly gay
women who are also fighting against sexism, homophobia,
androcentrism, racism, militarism etc.
Facebook
Click here for a more detailed information about
Turkish LGBT life
There are more than a dozen confirmed gay and lesbian friendly
hotels in Istanbul. When you make an instant reservation for any
of these hotels through the secure online system of
Booking.com, you
also help us maintain our websites,
without costing you extra a cent
Free
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