After nine years of marriage, a Turkish woman has filed for divorce because her husband started to wear "sexy thongs and pantyhose".
According to Hürriyet Daily, the man began cross-dressing around two years ago, putting makeup on and wearing women's attire.
"When my client attempted to discuss the issue, he used violence on her," the woman's lawyer said.
The woman also filed a lawsuit against her husband demanding a financial compensation of 200,000 Turkish Liras ($36,982).
"My client is currently in [a state of] depression. She doesn't want to continue her marriage. We want a divorce and a compensation of 200,000 Turkish Liras."
In response, the husband filed a counterclaim alleging that his wife "insulted him by asking whether he is a man or not".
The husband requested a divorce, however, refuses to offer a financial compensation.
"His wife implies that my client has a different sexual orientation, attempting to blackmail him with this claim," the husband's lawyer said in the petition.
Cross-dressing seen as a threat?
Historians trace the cross-dressing trend within the Middle East and North Africa back to the height of the Ottoman Empire, with Kocek (boys who danced and sang in female dresses) and Cengi (girls who did the same in male dresses) dating back to at least the 16th century.
However, the trend is still not accepted in many parts of the Middle East, despite the fact that it has been an integral part of society, culture, and entertainment for well over 100 years.
In June, Saudi authorities arrested seven male cross-dressers after a video of them went viral online, as this practice is strictly illegal in the ultra-conservative kingdom.
Generally, there remains hostility towards LGBTQI+ community in Turkey
Earlier this year, around 1,000 people marched for LGBTQI+ rights in the Muslim-majority city of Istanbul during the annual Pride parade. Notably, Turkish authorities had banned the event for the fourth consecutive year.
Human rights group Amnesty International in Turkey said 11 people had been detained during the event. In 2017, at least 44 people were detained during a march for LGBTQI+ rights.
The crackdown on the community in the country is ongoing. More than 41 "hate murders" against LGBTQI+ individuals were documented between 2010 and 2014.