Turkey's most famous drag queen performance artist 'Huysuz Virjin' dies at 87

Seyfi Dursunoğlu, better know as his drag character "Huysuz Virjin," passed away on July 17 at the age of 87. Dursunoğlu was most famous for portraying character “Huysuz Virjin,” a transvestite singer. In 2007, he announced that he could no longer portray “Huysuz Virjin" due to censorship of Turkey's broadcasting watchdog RTÜK.

Duvar English

Famous Turkish showman and actor Seyfi Dursunoğlu, who was known by his stage name “Huysuz Virjin” which translates as “The Grumpy Virgin,” passed away on July 17 at the age of 87.

Dursunoğlu was hospitalized 15 days ago after suffering from a stomach problem and spent the last three days in intensive care due to respiratory failure and multiple organ failure, Turkish media outlets said. He had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Dursunoğlu was most famous for portraying character “Huysuz Virjin,” a transvestite singer.

After finishing high school, he enrolled at Istanbul University's English philology department but upon the bankruptcy of his father, a tradesman, he left the university and started working as a public official.

After 18 years in the Social Insurance Institution (SSK), Dursunoğlu left public service and entered show business.

He initially performed at gazinos in the 1970s and 1980s and later became a nationwide star, topping television ratings in the 1990s and 2000s.

RTÜK puts pressure on television stations to ban cross-dressing

In 2007, Dursunoğlu announced that he could no longer portray “Huysuz Virjin" due to censorship of Turkey's broadcasting watchdog RTÜK.

In an interview, Dursunoğlu stated that the board visited and warned TV companies to prevent him from appearing in women's clothing.

In 2012, Dursunoğlu reappeared as "Huysuz Virjin" and started to present the dance program called “Would you dance with Huysuz?” on Show TV.

In the same year, he joined as a judge to Star TV's “Kimse Sana Benzemez” show. On the program's final episode, he appeared as "Huysuz Virjin" and said that he could no longer perform due to his old age.

Populism in Turkish politics and the LGBTI communityPopulism in Turkish politics and the LGBTI community