Queer Olympix to Start in İstanbul on August 23: ‘We Invite You to Create Together’

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Held for the first time in İstanbul in 2017, Queer Olympix, the first Queer Olympics of Turkey, will be held in İstanbul from August 23 and 25.

This year's Queer Olympix will take place in Heybeliada and Kalamış.

'Can we say "We exist in public sphere!" via sports?'

Atletik Dildoa, an İstanbul-based amateur football team which consists mostly of women and LGBTI+ individuals, introduced the first Queer Olympix three years ago in following words:

"Being LGBTI+ and woman forces us to learn some kind of manoeuvres, self-defence techniques, and various strategies as we make use of the city. Unfortunately, especially the recent constraints of political and social pressure within public sphere don't allow us to experience enthusiastic resistances and entertainments in big cities anymore.

"We, as women and LGBTI+ individuals who have been playing football in various fields in the city, asked ourselves if we could re-create the crowds we yearn for through sports, and if we could set up the sentence "We do exist in public sphere!" through sports this time.

"Believing that sport is a way to free our bodies as well as to come together, we invite you to create the possibility of this experience together and FOR THE FIRST TIME in Turkey."

'Is another game, tribune and olympics possible?'

In this year's statement for the press, it has been indicated that Queer Olympix aims to reach over 100 participants from Turkey and abroad.

Stating that "We, as LGBTI+s and women, are trying to continue our existence in fields, pitches, on the street and everywhere under the recently deteriorating social and political conditions", the Atletik Dildoa has said,

"We are looking forward to holding Queer Olympix once again to answer our question of "'Is another game, another tribune, another olympics possible?' (EMK/SD)