Transsexuals in Iran

Another anti-Iranian propaganda that doesn't exactly work how it should


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Transsexuals in Iran
by hoder
29-Feb-2008
 

If you are a Jewish Iranian, living in the U.S. from the age of 6, it is very likely you don't like Ahmadinejad. So of course you would like to show how you hate him and how he is such a liar and how evil the entire government he represents is, in any way you can.

So you decide to attack one of the only positive angles Iran has been reported: Sex-change. And why not connect it to Ahmadinejad's speech in your city's university, Columbia, where he said in Iran homosexuality doesn't exist the same way it does in the U.S. (We all know the united Republican/Democrat anti-Iran front translated that to a denial of homosexuals in Iran.)

Tannaz Eshaghian's 'Be Like Others' (or 'Transsexual in Iran,' as BBC titled it) is a well-made documentary, but it is dishonest and unfair. (Watch it on iPlayer) It basically try to say being gay in Iran is so hard that forces gay men to go through the brutal process of sex-change. So even though the Islamic Republic look surprisingly cool with transsexuality on the surface, it is actually killing scores of gay men by separating them from their family, forcing them into a constant struggle of identity, inflicting physical and psychological pain on them -- and turning them into prostitutes, in the end.

But this is not exactly what every viewer would see in the film. They might ask, for instance, if being gay is so hard, how come Ali (Anoush's boyfriend) doesn't feel marginalized, isolated, or even under any kind of pressure?

Ali likes Anoush even before Anoush does the sex-change operation and while he still has male sexual organs. So if Iran is so cruel to homosexuals and hangs them, how come Ali is still not only walking, but working as a hairdresser and even is so comfortable with his name, face and identity be revealed by the film?

Ali's character, in my mind, is the most important one in the film and he is the one that undoes the main message of them film. He is a living evidence of how homosexuality exists in Iran and how and why it is tolerated, and Eshaghian fails to bring it into her core message of the film.

He shows how homosexuality, as a social phenomenon, doesn't exist in Iran because the lines between being straight and gay has historically been blurred in the Iranian culture. Sexuality has never been forced into strict categories in Iran and this could be quite related to what Judith Butler argues in her work.

But the film is also dishonest in details. The most important part, which is also central to the core of the message, is when she shamelessly mistranslates the young cleric who defends sex-change operations. He says transsexuality has nothing to do with homosexuality which is "immoral and irreligious". But guess how it is translated by Eshaghian to twist his logic: "something unnatural and against religion." Wow!

I don't want to get into the list of funders and producers of the film. But I can't resist the temptation of raising two questions. Especially given the continuous anti-Iran propaganda the BBC Two has produced and showed in the past few years.

a) Why Alexandra Kerry's name (Yes, John Kerry's daughter), as a co-producer is missing from the BBC credits?

b) Why the name of another co-producer, Ilan Ziv, an Israeli film-maker and producers with such films as Human Weapon (on the history of suicide bombing traced back to Iran), People Power (on 'non-violent revolutions around the world' with insight from Gene Sharp, 'a leading expert on non-violent struggles') is also removed from the BBC credits?


Balatarin
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more from hoder
 
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Best thing to do ....

by .o. (not verified) on Fri Feb 29, 2008 09:13 PM PST

Hoder,
Best thing to do is to ignore these anti-iranian parasites. They are paid by Iran's enemies (e.g., zionists, CIA, etc.) to surf the web and write anti-iranian articles. Ignore them and they are wasted.


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You know to all the people

by kesafati (not verified) on Fri Feb 29, 2008 08:31 PM PST

You know to all the people who live here and dislike the US get the hell out, and all of you who live here and talk positivly about the IRI GO back,,

Very simple vase chi neshasti, unja ke vatanete,,, Bolan sho yalla,,, hatman yeh khune am vasat joor mikonan


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Good article!

by Anonym (not verified) on Fri Feb 29, 2008 07:18 PM PST

Very informative regarding the young generation of Jewish Iranians abroad and regarding handling of the 'homosexual question' in Iran.

You definitely talked about subjects most of us would not know about.

Thank you!


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Hoder is in "LOVE" with Ahmadinejad

by Hawes380 (not verified) on Fri Feb 29, 2008 07:13 PM PST

So what Hoder says is that if you are not an Iranian-jew and if you haven't grown up outside of Iran since the age 6, you should very likely love Ahmadinejad just like our friend Hossein Derakhshan does.
hmmm... seems to me Hossein Derakhshan is becoming more and more delusional by each passing year.
Every year there's something new with this guy. He changes his views and beliefs on daily basis like I change underwear.
I just think this guy wants to create controversy and that is it.


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Derakshan is a charlatan

by Derakhshan-Hater (not verified) on Fri Feb 29, 2008 06:44 PM PST

Hossein - OF ALL THE IRANIANS ALIVE TODAY YOU ARE PERHAPS THE MOST SHAMEFUL. HOW DO YOU LIVE WITH YOURSELF?? INSTEAD OF SPENDING ALL YOUR TIME DEFENDING IRAN FROM ABROAD WHY DON'T YOU GO LIVE IN TEHRAN?? I DON'T KNOW A SINGLE PERSON WHO LIKES YOU, YOU ARE TRULY A SHAMELESS IMBECILE AND DESERVE THE WORST.


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Abarmard

Points to ponder

by Abarmard on Fri Feb 29, 2008 06:04 PM PST

Hoder you may have some valid points there.


FYI to some people here: acknowledging a propaganda agenda, doesn't discredit some inhuman IR actions. Just to remind some that you can have both, realize what's going on out of Iran while fighting to better Iranian lives inside. Actually it is expected from any individual to do so, be aware. One being bad doesn't give an automated "good" to another. If you would like to attack the author in regard of this article please say why you think that he is wrong so I can learn something new.
Thanks


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No gay man will have a sex change

by Gay-Iranian (not verified) on Fri Feb 29, 2008 05:14 PM PST

No gay man or woman could have a sex change operation. That's for stupid ignorant to believe. Transsexuals are not gay. Could a woman in Iran change her sex just to fit in? that's the dumbest propaganda you could hear by anyone


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Baba in Derakhshan ya

by seyed (not verified) on Fri Feb 29, 2008 05:13 PM PST

Baba in Derakhshan ya divounast ya matnesh saf az vezarat tabligh myad.Hey Hossein, if homosexuals are tolerated, why don't you ask the islamic republic to pass a law that would formally recognize them?It's not enough to be merely tolerated by the regime.Gays, like bahais, sunnis, jews, zorastrians and any other minority have to be considered as Iranians fully equal with all others UNDER THE LAW AND IN WRITING.I'm tired of seeing Derakhshan complain about people who just want to see more freedom in Iran, but he never demands the corrupt mollahs to give Iranians the same rights that he safely enjoys in Canada.Answer, Hossein , give a fucking answer to that!


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Hoder Hates Women!

by Pissed Off (not verified) on Fri Feb 29, 2008 03:49 PM PST

Hoder,
Read the following article.

I know you are not interested in women and their issues, just for your information:

//www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?...


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What is your problem??

by Kurdish Warrior (not verified) on Fri Feb 29, 2008 03:31 PM PST

What is your problem with Persian Jews or Jews in general? I'm neither Persian nor Jew but instead of attacking them you should be proud of what they achieved in USA which changed a lot of ordinary people’s point of view on Persians. If you’re on IRI pay check, well enjoy it while it lasts, and if you are not, then be realistic my friend, our country does faces a lot of domestic problems thanks to this fascist regime.


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to Islamic Reblic of IRAN hater....

by Anonymous666666666666666666666666 (not verified) on Fri Feb 29, 2008 02:49 PM PST

You guys know that you are no match to the supporters of the islamic government...so please such the F. up and suck it in. The iran that you want will never come about. We will die to support the iran's current governement. Love Ahmadinejad.


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SHUT UP HODER

by Anonymous_Flowers (not verified) on Fri Feb 29, 2008 01:35 PM PST

do you ever defend your fellow iranians? or do you just sit mumming IR propaghanda and try to tilt the scales in favor of any mullah monster


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I am NOT

by MRX1 (not verified) on Fri Feb 29, 2008 01:24 PM PST

jewish and I did not live in U.S since the age of six as you profundley say (Funny with the islamo facists, every thing starts and ends with jews!)
but I hate ahmadi nejad and the whole regime much more than they do. I am just curious for all the ass leaking that you do for this regime, do they pay you? and if so is it a good money?


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nice article hossein. I

by sina188 (not verified) on Fri Feb 29, 2008 01:10 PM PST

nice article hossein. I agree.


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Hoder Out Of The Closet!

by Pissed Off (not verified) on Fri Feb 29, 2008 12:45 PM PST

Hoder is finally out of the closet.

It took him longer than I had expected!


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