Why I still feel home in the US (Part 5)

Social life in Turkey also shows much resemblance with the US. People like to come together with relatives or friends, without excluding anyone. ‘The more the merrier’ goes for both countries. When I am in Turkey and call a friend to make an appointment, he or she is always happy to invite me over for lunch or dinner, even if this means completely rescheduling their plans. And I can always join her with her other appointment. I haven't had so many invitations for parties in the Netherlands as I have now in America. I think this reflects a general understanding in both societies that people need each other and are dependent on one-another. I highly value this sense of community and was happy to discover that Americans have the same basic attitude as Turks.

Double standards

When visiting Turkey, I never understand how it is possible to find so many magazines with women in tiny bikinis in a country with so many Muslims. Not only tabloids but serious daily newspapers like Hurriyet and Milliyet as well are filled with photos that could be called ‘indecent’ from a religious perspective. And on closer look, you see many more examples in Turkey of phenomena that seem to be in flagrant contradiction with Islamic values. Two of the biggest 'billion dollar' artists are transsexuals, some famous artists are gay. Everybody knows this, but nobody talks about it. As if it’s not a serious issue, as long as it doesn’t happen in your own backyard.
I see this same hypocrisy in the US. It was quite a shock to me to realize that the US is in some aspects much less liberal than e.g. the Netherlands. During my classes in university I found that it is very difficult to talk about sex in public (which sometimes you have to do as an owner of a woman's magazine)– even if it’s in a learning environment – that I would have though judging the omnipresence of sexually loaded messages in the media. Although this is the county of pop stars like Madonna, Beyonce and Britney Spears, and soap series like Dallas and Sex and the City, sex is a no go area in discussions. Just like in Turkey, everyone knows what is happening, but rather not talks about it. What’s normal on television, in magazines and on billboards, is still a taboo in private life. Can you imagine how difficult the 'change' must be for a Turkish girl in her house where it is a taboo to talk about certain subjects which are seen as 'normal' in her Dutch surroundings as school, work or friendship?