tas:

2018-2019

Iran is the first Islamic country where sex reassignment surgery was authorized in accordance with Imam Khomeini’s fatwa.

Although sex reversal is authorized and legal in Iran, unfortunately, people’s lack of awareness of the issues about transgender has made this taboo. Even in Iran’s mass media and television, there is no discussion about this issue. This is why people who notice these changes in their bodies and mental states during puberty suppress it for the rest of their lives so as not to be ridiculed and harassed by others. Furthermore, if they go through this difficult stage and undergo sex reversal, their life will be more difficult; humiliation in the family and society leads to depression, isolation, boredom and sometimes suicide.

The main goal of this photography project is to express the limitations of transsexual people’s life in their family and society. Conventional traditional beliefs and taboos among Iranian families constantly affect the lives of those people. They assume that when a transsexual undergoes sex reversal, they no longer have a social responsibility and position and can’t work. Being a transgender in Iran causes suffering; an endless suffering from a lack of awareness that destroys the lives of large numbers of people. The people in this collection are among of those thousands of anonymous people who have done something great in their lives. They bravely stood up to the behavioral abuses of society and family. Although they are not immune to personal harassments in their current situation.

Tamanna, 25 years old, born in Qazvin, student of Nursing
When she told her family that she is a girl and had to reveres her sex, continuing her education, wearing a hijab and living a normal life like other girls were the conditions that her mother set for her to agree to start the process of reversing her sex. After many efforts to obtain judicial permits, Tamanna was able to successfully complete the steps of her sex reversal in 2014.

Sasha, 21 years old, born in Urmia, dropout student of Psychology When she told her family that she is a girl and needs to reverse her sex, her father threated to kill her. After some time, she and her boyfriend escaped to Turkey and then to Lebanon through immigration agencies in Iran by using fake passports. One the day of the flight to the final destination, Germany, the security police noticed their fake passports at the Lebanon airport and sent them to two separate prisons. Due her unknown gender and appearance, Sasha was imprisoned in Al-Amn-Alam va Abda Center in Lebanon for one month. She was raped and subjected to violence by prison guards and prisoners many times. After forty days, she managed to be released and return to Iran through a judgement issued by the judge and paying a penalty. When she returned to Iran, she had lost 15 kg. After a few months, she migrated to Turkey, and after undergoing several surgeries and changing her name to Rose, she managed to live in one of the northern cities of Turkey. She is currently working as a model.

Radmehr (is not a real name), 25 years old, born in Rasht, dropout student of Biomedical Engineering When he told his family that he is a boy and has to undergo sex reversal, although they were against his sex reversal at first, they changed their minds and accompanied him one day before going to the welfare department and making due measures to fulfill legal procedures. After a while, he started hormone therapy and underwent some procedures of his sex reversal by enjoying his family support. During these years, Radmehr has been working with his father to generate income and become independent.

Fabod, 20 years old, born in one of the northern cities of Iran, dropout student of Industrial Engineering When he told his family that he is a boy and has to reverse his sex, he faced strong opposition due to the family’s lack of knowledge and education on sex reversal issues. Because of the protection and security of Farbod’s previous and new life style, no more information is available.

Elsa, 23 years old, born in Rasht, student of English Literature When she told her family that she is a girl and has to reverse her sex, her family initially opposed her due to their lack of knowledge and of familiarity with the term “transsexual”, as well as the issues related to sex reversal. As time passed and her family became aware, Elsa completed due legal procedures, treated with hormone therapy and underwent a surgery in 2017. Now Elsa’s pastimes are playing online games at home and exploring the forest and swimming in the village where she lives.

Arman (is not a real name), 24 years old, born in Rasht, student of Biomedical Engineering When he told his family that he is a boy and has to reverse his sex, he faced opposition from his family. In order to dissuade him, they tried to convince him that he is a girl and cannot be a boy by asking a psychiatrist to prescribe sedatives and arresting him at home for three years. Arman was only allowed to go to the gym during this time. Eventually, in 2015, he underwent hormone therapy and made sex reversal with the help of his aunt under the supervision of a consultant.

Amirali (is not a real name), 31 years old, born in one of the villages of the western Iran, dropout student Amirali is not willing to show his face due to some problems caused by a prominent Iranian filmmaker. He received a death threat by his father when he told his family that he is a boy and has to reverse his sex. In 2011, he sold his left kidney so that he could pay for his surgery. Four years later, due to his right kidney infection, he had to undergo a left kidney transplant. Finally, he managed to go through due legal procedures and undergo a sex reversal. Furthermore, he has eleven siblings and one of his sisters is transsexual, and a few years after his brother’s sex reversal, she managed to reverse her sex from female to male.

Tamanna, 25 years old, born in Qazvin, student of Nursing When she told her family that she is a girl and had to reveres her sex, continuing her education, wearing a hijab and living a normal life like other girls were the conditions that her mother set for her to agree to start the process of reversing her sex. After many efforts to obtain judicial permits, Tamanna was able to successfully complete the steps of her sex reversal in 2014.

Sasha, 21 years old, born in Urmia, dropout student of Psychology
When she told her family that she is a girl and needs to reverse her sex, her father threated to kill her. After some time, she and her boyfriend escaped to Turkey and then to Lebanon through immigration agencies in Iran by using fake passports. One the day of the flight to the final destination, Germany, the security police noticed their fake passports at the Lebanon airport and sent them to two separate prisons. Due her unknown gender and appearance, Sasha was imprisoned in Al-Amn-Alam va Abda Center in Lebanon for one month. She was raped and subjected to violence by prison guards and prisoners many times. After forty days, she managed to be released and return to Iran through a judgement issued by the judge and paying a penalty. When she returned to Iran, she had lost 15 kg. After a few months, she migrated to Turkey, and after undergoing several surgeries and changing her name to Rose, she managed to live in one of the northern cities of Turkey. She is currently working as a model.

Radmehr (is not a real name), 25 years old, born in Rasht, dropout student of Biomedical Engineering
When he told his family that he is a boy and has to undergo sex reversal, although they were against his sex reversal at first, they changed their minds and accompanied him one day before going to the welfare department and making due measures to fulfill legal procedures. After a while, he started hormone therapy and underwent some procedures of his sex reversal by enjoying his family support. During these years, Radmehr has been working with his father to generate income and become independent.

Elsa, 23 years old, born in Rasht, student of English Literature
When she told her family that she is a girl and has to reverse her sex, her family initially opposed her due to their lack of knowledge and of familiarity with the term “transsexual”, as well as the issues related to sex reversal. As time passed and her family became aware, Elsa completed due legal procedures, treated with hormone therapy and underwent a surgery in 2017. Now Elsa’s pastimes are playing online games at home and exploring the forest and swimming in the village where she lives.

Arman (is not a real name), 24 years old, born in Rasht, student of Biomedical Engineering
When he told his family that he is a boy and has to reverse his sex, he faced opposition from his family. In order to dissuade him, they tried to convince him that he is a girl and cannot be a boy by asking a psychiatrist to prescribe sedatives and arresting him at home for three years. Arman was only allowed to go to the gym during this time. Eventually, in 2015, he underwent hormone therapy and made sex reversal with the help of his aunt under the supervision of a consultant.

Amirali (is not a real name), 31 years old, born in one of the villages of the western Iran, dropout student
Amirali is not willing to show his face due to some problems caused by a prominent Iranian filmmaker. He received a death threat by his father when he told his family that he is a boy and has to reverse his sex. In 2011, he sold his left kidney so that he could pay for his surgery. Four years later, due to his right kidney infection, he had to undergo a left kidney transplant. Finally, he managed to go through due legal procedures and undergo a sex reversal. Furthermore, he has eleven siblings and one of his sisters is transsexual, and a few years after his brother’s sex reversal, she managed to reverse her sex from female to male.