Iranian# women# face restrictions unknown# in other Muslim countries#

Iranian women protest mullahs Islamic dress code [file photo]

While many Muslim countries have laws restricting the dress, habits, and jobs available to women, Iran is unique in both its oddness and inconsistency.
The situation of women in Iran is widely lamented, but is also not without its paradoxes.
The 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran reversed decades of liberalizing laws and attitudes towards women and is often viewed as a rejection of the western concept of femininity. After the revolution the ban on the use of the hijab was lifted, and many women holding government posts were forced to wear the chador. Events and public spaces became sex-segregated, as well.
At the same time, women in Iran became more literate, and by the 1990s more women than men were enrolling in colleges. More women were also allowed to enter the workforce, and contraceptive laws were liberal by international standards.
These trends have not, however, prevented the creation of bizarre and often intrusive laws restricting women’s liberties. For examples, women in Iran are not allowed to cycle, work in coffee shops, wear boots or pants, go on stage, enter sports stadiums, or divorce upon request. These laws often target the physical appearance and modesty of women, their participation or affiliation with sporting events, and women’s legal abilities.
Laws making divorce for women harder have garnered criticism. In 2015, the state made divorce illegal unless the couple had undertaken state-guided counseling sessions. The move was taken in response to spiking divorce rates, particularly in big cities.
The “modesty police” who patrol Iranian streets enforcing codes of dress for women have also been a source of controversy. The agents, who are affiliated with the Intelligence Ministry, impose ever-changing, seemingly arbitrary rules on women, who can be harassed or detained for their style of dress or behavior.

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