Transsexuality in Iran: A liberal law in a conservative state

[Jefferson23]

Iran is a world leader in terms of the number of sex reassignments performed, but many who undergo surgery face family rejection

Agnieszka Pikulicka-Wilczewska

Monday 30 November 2015 15:39 UTC


It was a small wedding by Iranian standards. Just 25 people. But for Heydar and Leila the day was very special. It was not just a marriage - it was a recognition of their relationship.

Looking at the pictures from the wedding, Leila can’t help but smile. This was the first time their families met each other and the moment when they all came to terms with the decisions taken by Heydar and Leila.

Two years ago they both had different names, and before that very different bodies. Both had been through what is officially called sex reassignment surgery (SRS).

In a deeply conservative society where homosexuals face the risk of execution, the existence of their union, which is approved by law, would be surprising to many outside Iran.

snip* The law has its roots in the 1970s, when Maryam Mulkara, a transgender woman willing to undergo a surgery, started inquiring about Islam’s stance on transsexuality. After the revolution in 1979, the new government began cruel moral purification campaigns and Mulkara felt she had to stand up for transsexual rights. She met Hashemi Rafsanjani, the speaker of the parliament, who promised to bring the issue up with Ayatollah Khomeini.

- See more at: http://www.middleeasteye.net/in-depth/features/transsexuality-iran-liberal-law-conservative-state-1887443646#sthash.G43g380N.dpuf

[struggle4progress]

1. Maybe it's not surprising: it may reflect the real rigidity of gender stereotypes in Iran