Anyone in the mood for a bit of Yağlı Güreş?

July 2, 2008 8:52 AM

Every culture has its own way of expressing its masculinity. It so happens that in Turkey this involves a lot of oil, bare chests, physical contact, and putting your hands down your opponents kisbet.

So, who wants to play??? C'mon guys--what're you--chicken!?

posted by hadjiboy (15 comments total)

To be fair, Turkey is kinda like the US with a plurality of "culture", this is just one, sort of like Pro Wrestling is an expression of masculinity in certain places with certain people: and this seems a lot more civilized than Pro Wrestling.
posted by stbalbach at 9:07 AM on July 2, 2008

They also like to congregate suspiciously together in public parks and pedestrian areas, wearing dark suits that haven't been cleaned in months. They hang out almost entirely with other men, but upon seeing a foreign female of the species they will follow her like a stalker, saying anything they can think in English of that might *possibly* lure her to their "family shop" in hopes that they can get her to buy a rug she really doesn't need or want. Like glue, they will follow her, yelling things like, "But you have beautiful eeeyyyyeeees!" or "Do not run!!! I am in looovvveee with yoooouuuu!" or "I just want to be your friiiieeeeeeennnnnddddd! What is your naaaammmmeeee!!???" And it is incredibly annoying.

Okay, I guess that's just my experience. Let's not generalize. They probably like wrestling too.
posted by miss lynnster at 9:21 AM on July 2, 2008 [1 favorite]

Any pair of shoes can be converted into slippers - just keep walking on the backs of them.
posted by Meatbomb at 9:27 AM on July 2, 2008

this does look very masculine (disclaimer: i am a total homo)
woof! most of those boys are HOT...Jebus Crust!

seriously, i once tried to catch a greased pig at a fair...not easy...this looks difficult

also hot
posted by sexyrobot at 9:40 AM on July 2, 2008

Stereotypically gay behavior is now non-masculine? Wouldn't all-male group gropes actually be MORE masculine than hetero groupings?
posted by DU at 9:41 AM on July 2, 2008

upon seeing a foreign female of the species they will follow her like a stalker, saying anything they can think in English of that might *possibly* lure her to their "family shop"

If my sister's experience is anything to go by, this still happens even when your husband is with you. And if you do go to their "family shop" because you are, in fact, looking to by a rug, you may have one of the scariest and creepiest days of your life.
posted by StickyCarpet at 9:45 AM on July 2, 2008

Reminds me of the awesome Turkish wrestling scene in Topkapi, with Melina Mercouri drooling at the wrestlers.
posted by rottytooth at 9:58 AM on July 2, 2008

Only if one is gauging "masculinity" by the sheer volume of male parts and hormones. Otherwise, it's usually defined by actions.

In my own experience, the actions of a bunch of men all together, without women present, will be more masculine in nature than they would otherwise be. Sometimes, of course, this expresses itself in an all-male orgy, but that's not necessarily any less masculine now, is it?
posted by me & my monkey at 10:17 AM on July 2, 2008

Burhanistan, you took the thought right out of my brain. That was a good one.
posted by miss lynnster at 10:19 AM on July 2, 2008

Only if one is gauging "masculinity" by the sheer volume of male parts and hormones. Otherwise, it's usually defined by actions.

So "masculine" doesn't mean "man-like", it means "the things hetero men do"? Isn't that exactly my point?
posted by DU at 10:30 AM on July 2, 2008

I think "manly" is scoring with the ladies; Another might think "manly" is rolling around with another oiled-up muscular male.

I've found that alcohol consumption can often move someone from the first position to the second.
posted by me & my monkey at 12:15 PM on July 2, 2008 [1 favorite]

C'mon guys--what're you--chicken!?

B'GAWWWK!

Chicken v Gorilla! More Chicken Wrestling! Pepsi Chicken Wrestling! Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka discusses why the chicken crossed the road!

Answer: yes.
posted by not_on_display at 12:53 PM on July 2, 2008

still up after all these years
posted by drjimmy11 at 4:31 PM on July 2, 2008 [1 favorite]

What, video cameras aren't masculine either?!?!
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 12:39 AM on July 3, 2008

sorry...i guess i didn't make much sense there...i was a little, um, distracted.

cant really make heads or tails of what i was trying to say...

god those boys are cute.

wait...did somebody say 'orgy'?
posted by sexyrobot at 10:21 PM on July 3, 2008