1987. Politics: Ayatollah Khomeini issues pro-transsexual fatwa
When the Ayatollah Khomeini came to power in 1979 one of his first acts was to establish the death penalty for homosexuals: a punishment that has been ruthlessly imposed ever since.
Unsurprisingly then, more than a few people were taken aback when, in 1987 he declared a fatwa declaring that gender re-assignment surgery was permissible for “diagnosed” transsexuals.Up until that time, in the sexually fascistic regime of the Ayatollah, trans people were treated exactly the same way as homosexuals.
But the change of heart was prompted by the persistence of a trans woman – known originally by her male name of Fereydoon – who, in 1983, braved the thuggery of Khomeini’s security guards to present her case to him in person.
Turning up at the Ayatollah’s compound in a man’s suit, with breasts tightly strapped down and carrying a copy of the Qu’ran, Fereydoon approached the building. Unsurprisingly, she was jumped on viciously by the guards and it was only the intervention of Khomeini’s brother that stopped the beating. As Fereydoon hurriedly tried to explain her situation the guards noticed she had something strapped to her chest. Fearing that it was explosives they insisted she removed the bandages.
It was the defining moment: as Fereydoon’s breasts were exposed the women in the house rushed to cover them with a chador. Such was the confusion generated by the incident the various minions had no choice but to seek the input of the Ayatollah.
Incredibly, given the savagery meted out to homosexuals, Khomeini angrily berated those who had assaulted Fereydoon. He then gave her a letter addressed to the chief prosecutor and the head of medical ethics giving religious authorisation for her to have the surgery.
It’s unclear why there was a four-year delay between Fereydoon receiving her letter and the Ayatollah issuing the full fatwa. And, despite the official blessing for such procedures, trans people continued to face physical and verbal abuse.
Nor has the situation improved over the decades; reports suggest that trans people are forced to have surgical reassignment whether they want to or not. Equally disturbing is the practice of forcing homosexuals to undergo gender reassignment to ‘correct’ their ‘sexual disorder’.
So, fatwa or no fatwa, it seems that sexual fascism is still the order of the day in Iran.
The only way a mudreous power hungry religiuos racketeer would allow a transexual in the sharia law state of Iran is because he liked to wear dresses in private and skip around in is innocent blood filled palaces. This protects him from other power hungry nuts that can’t use it against him so he won’t be buried alive, like they do to homosexuals today. Where are the gay rights groups? I demand an explanation? Are gay men that are living in a real homophobic,racist,warmongering countries not to be defended? I’m sure at least a few were wondering only if I lived in the united states where people like me are accepted and won’t be buried alive. I say again. I DEMAND AN EXPLANATION.