The Real Iran
March 1st, 2007 Posted in IraqThe women’s dress varies from the all enveloping black chador that covers them from head to toe, to a mélange of styles that involve trousers, an over garment or manteaux and a hijab that covers the hair. Just how tight the manteaux are and how much of the hair is actually covered is a matter of discretion. Unlike her Arab counterpart, the Tehran woman is not housebound. Chador, hijab and all, she is visible at the workplace whether as a cleaning lady or a research officer in a think-tank; member of Parliament or Basij (paramilitary) officer.
Be sure to check out these pictures. In the imaginations of most Americans, Iran is just a backward place full of crazy religious conservatives and militants and belligerent president (and yes, their imaginations tend to leave out the appropriate sense of irony).
I think most Americans would be very surprised to see women in jeans and sunglasses and (very attractive) head scarves. They would be surprised by the deeply pro-western sentiments of many Iranians and their disdain for the mullahs. Of course, Americans shouldn’t have to see western influences to conclude that the citizens of other countries are actual human beings; but knowing so little about Iran (what it is really like, where it is), we are at the mercy of sickeningly abbreviated portrayals even in national newspapers; not to mention men like Bill Kristol, who approaches with infinite patience his job of whipping up support for the next bit of mass destruction to be directed indiscriminately against Muslims.
