You’ve probably heard about some interesting facts about Iran. For example, women are considered homemakers and mothers in Iran. Women are also not allowed to wear neckties or television sets in public. And women in Iran must wear a head covering called the hijab. Homosexuality is not tolerated in Iran. But you might not have known that Iran has also invented wind power!
Women are homemakers and mothers in Iran
While Iranian women are considered to be equal partners in the household, their economic choices are limited due to their status as homemakers. In addition, the law grants greater control to the husband, the head of the household. Some employers require written consent from the husband before they allow a wife to join the workforce.
However, Iranian women defy these stereotypes. They are active in public and participate in petition campaigns and national debates about women’s rights. In addition, Iranian women support gender equality in the family and society and disapprove of traditional restrictions on their mobility.
Polygamy is legal in Iran
Polygamy is legal in Iran, where the divorce law allows men to have more than one wife. However, a woman must have a compelling reason to divorce her husband. Typically, married men can have up to four wives. However, polygamy is considered intolerable by many Iranians. Hard-liners view it as a tactic used by older, lecherous men to hide their unhappiness.
Iranian women are fiercely opposed to the legalisation of polygamy, saying it weakens women’s status and role. According to a survey by Shahla Ezazi in 2008, 96 per cent of Iranian women said they did not approve of a man taking a second wife without his first wife’s consent. As a result, an anti-polygamy movement was formed. Many of the country’s most famous women met with representatives of the parliament to voice their concerns.
Women cover only 80% of their hair in marriage
While the hijab is compulsory in Iran, it’s a controversial tradition that doesn’t appeal to all Iranian women. Most don’t cover their hair at all, while others are forced to wear it. However, Iranian women have long been reluctant to cover their hair, and the hijab is not a traditional practice here.
The harsh mandatory veiling laws in Iran have led to a climate of violence and harassment for women. Iranian women are regularly confronted by thugs, vigilantes, and state agents who beat them, pepper-spray them, and call them “whores.”
Homosexuality is taboo in Iran
In Iran, homophobia is still a societal taboo, and LGBT people have often experienced harsh treatment by security forces. These measures include harassment, arrest, and monitoring of private and public areas. Human Rights Watch has documented cases of police abuse and harassment, and detention of LGBT persons.
Iranian law criminalizes homosexuality and imposes the death penalty for certain crimes. Because of this, sexual minorities cannot avail themselves of any general protections and must fear prosecution for seeking help from authorities. Such a law has a chilling effect on victims’ willingness to come forward and report abuse, and makes these groups more vulnerable to abuse by private actors.
Homosexuals in Iran face many challenges, including discrimination between passive and active partners, opposition to transsexuals, and internalized homophobia. It is essential to be sensitive to these issues and to learn how to combat them. Homosexual Iranians face similar difficulties to those in other Iranian societies.
Women face barriers to education
Women in Iran face many obstacles to furthering their education. Since the 1979 Islamic revolution, women have had limited participation in the government and politics. The Guardian Council, responsible for ratifying laws and verifying the eligibility of candidates for national elections, has discouraged women from entering the political arena. According to a spokesman for the Guardian Council 2020, there is no explicit legal ban on a female presidency, but a misinterpretation of an Arabic word has led to the disqualification of women in higher offices.
The Iranian government must reverse these restrictions and restore academic freedom for women. Many universities in Iran have adopted policies aimed at “Islamizing” higher education, which are limiting the options of women in particular fields and disciplines. Some universities have even banned female enrollment in certain fields, such as engineering and forestry.
