The harem was considered a profoundly intimate and private place where no man outside the sultan's inner circle could lay his eyes. As a result, the harem had to be guarded by those who were domineering yet somehow not sexualized as male. This was perfectly achieved through eunuchs, castrated men tasked with guarding and protecting the women. They served as the medium - physically and symbolically - between the male and female worlds and were considered the hybrid gender fit to fully partake in both realms. Convenient, right?

Eunuchs were typically slaves who had been captured in war or purchased on some far-flung platform in Ethiopia or Sudan. There were two kinds of men in this role - Black and white - and their appearance and general roles were considerably different. The Black eunuchs, or Sandali, had their genitals completely removed during the process and were the most preferred for harem service as a result. The white eunuchs were allowed to keep at least some of their penis or testicles and were thus awarded less harem duties, as there was always a risk they might use what little they had left. Whereas white Eunuchs were from the Balkans and were predominantly Christian (with "white" skin), Black eunuchs were from the African continent.

All serving under one chief harem eunuch known as the Master of the Girls, or Kızlar Ağası, the Black eunuchs were charged with guarding the women and often rose in rank, occupying many positions in the palace like vizier, confidante, or even a general in the army. Meanwhile, the white eunuchs served under the Kapı Ağası and had the privilege of handling state matters and other issues of "inner service" to the sultan.