Keep Off The Headscarves: Tehran’s Female Only Park
HEADSCRAVES off in Tehran’s first female-only park.
Last month the Tehran municipality opened the “Mothers’ Paradise” park in the upmarket north of the city to create a male-free zone every day of the week except Friday.
Built on hills and filled with lush evergreens, it was deemed an ideal spot for any park. It is now surrounded by iron sheets up to four metres (13 feet) high to keep out prying eyes.
“It is a good place to take in fresh air and finally dress as you want,” said 39-year-old Nasrin who lives nearby and comes to the park almost every day. “In an Islamic country this is as good as it gets.”
Spotter: Ed
Posted: 20th, June 2008 | In: Strange But True, War On Terror Comments (12) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
- percy stilton on Susan Boyle: World Divided Over SuBo And Lady Susan
- percy stilton on Newspaper Correction Of The Year: The New Jersey Rabbis
- Anorak on In Photos: Susan Boyle Sings Rockefeller Center Plaza In New York City
- Patricia on In Photos: Susan Boyle Sings Rockefeller Center Plaza In New York City
- percy stilton on Susan Boyle: World Divided Over SuBo And Lady Susan
June 20th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
It’s early days in the U.K.
Most of the women seen in Islamic-approved/enforced dress are first or second generation immigrants.
Give it a few years, and everything will change, with both females and males accepting British culture and standards (for what they are!)
It is inevitable, and…EVERYBODY knows it.
But, SOME, will go to any lengths to piss against the wind.
June 20th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
This cover-up or you’re a hoe propaganda is more than annoying. Increasingly, even in this country, girls / women in islamic communities are judged simply by whether or not they wear the hajib. The very idea that a woman can somehow be responsible for a man’s baser actions by the way she dresses in public is repugnant and muslim women should be very wary of where all this is leading. Unfortunately, it would appear to be easier for them to supplicate to purdah than to fight for individuality.
June 20th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
It occurs to me that at least the government in Iran is upfront about the constraints it places on women in that society; rather closer to home the tactic is to belittle and demean whilst pretending to be open and tolerant.
A glance at Michael White’s blog in today’s Guardian will provide a magnificent tutorial in how to defame any woman who dares to object to being treated as if she is a disposable bit of totty; just announce that the disposable bit of totty in question is not only a disposable bit of totty, but stupid and lacking in a sense of humour to boot.
It’s particularly ironic given that the Guardian also has an article about sexism in politics by Mark Lawson…
June 20th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
“In an Islamic country this is as good as it gets.”
that is after the strip searching to keep the men out 
They have never had it so good, being able to get their kit off in an Iron Paradise Prison with not a man for distraction
A four metre iron wall
in this age of satellite photography, go to Google Earth 
June 20th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Mic
Respect the French??? for heavens sake man… what have the french ever given us??
Off to have a drop of Brie on a fresh french stick, washed down with a drop of Chateaux neuf du Pape..
(not really - off to work..
)
June 20th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Vive la difference indeed.
Just so long as we don’t have to respect the French and their bloody language!
June 20th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Dairy
Yes you veiw should also be respected.
Me to BTW - NO WAY am I ever going to walk respectfully 3 steps behind my hubby!!!
Vive La diffence imo
June 20th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Noseycow - I agree completely that people are entitled to lead their lives as they wish and hold their own opinions - but that includes me as well and all I am saying here is that I could not possibly live like that, I find it oppressive and demeaning and therefore I am grateful to be living here.
..or is it too much to ask to respect my view also…?
June 20th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Petermac
Many Muslim women choses to ‘cover up’ .
While I agree that there is some (often publicised) oppresion, it is good to remember that not all are oppressed (even In Islam).
Another Muslim patient I nursed had two daughters who regularly visited him. One would come and draw the curtains around him so that she could remove her veil away from the eyes of other men, the other visited in jeans and teashirts, hair in a pony tail for all to see. Both were welcomed by their dad.
June 20th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
2 Noseycow
I am sure you are right. People can be taught from an early age to act in certain ways, and then as adults believe themselves to be freely making the choice to continue.
Why can not Islam teach its men to behave with decency and restraint, rather than forcing the women to cover up the whole time.
June 20th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Dairy
We currently have an elderly muslim lady on our ward who is very poorly, she can’t eat / drink or talk and is unconscious, but if her hair is left uncovered she moans constantly until it is covered again, at which point she becomes settled and peacful.
Is it too much to ask to respect the veiws of others, when it is obviousley important to them, and doesn’t harm anyone?
June 20th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
…such a great culture…. I’d just LOVE to spend my day cycling around a prison, wouldn’t you? no matter how shitty this country gets sometimes, you just have to be grateful….