'I Loosened My Hijab at a Chess Championship. Now I’m Afraid to Return to Iran.'
Share
[aggregation-styles]
The Washington Post Subscription
Religious indoctrination starts early in Iran, when you are forced at school to learn the Koran. I was a dutiful student, praying assiduously while wearing a loose, ugly school uniform, with my hair hidden under a big scarf. At age 8, I even won a prize for fasting.
At 9, I was introduced by my father to the beautiful game of chess, beloved by ancient Persian poets. Chess requires logic and critical thinking — not faith. Slowly, in my teens, I began to question why, if God is fair, is there so much pain and suffering in the world?
Even if my faith was fading, as a woman in Iran I had no choice but to tolerate the hijab — the Islamic emblem of constant, misogynistic oppression. I avoided looking at myself in mirrors. Wearing the head-covering was torment enough. When traveling abroad for chess tournaments, I admired the young women from other countries who wore nice clothes, their hair beautifully styled. I gradually began to spend more time in front of the mirror, trying to find ways, within the confines of my fabric prison, to appear normal.
Read More →
The Washington Post Subscription
Religious indoctrination starts early in Iran, when you are forced at school to learn the Koran. I was a dutiful student, praying assiduously while wearing a loose, ugly school uniform, with my hair hidden under a big scarf. At age 8, I even won a prize for fasting.
At 9, I was introduced by my father to the beautiful game of chess, beloved by ancient Persian poets. Chess requires logic and critical thinking — not faith. Slowly, in my teens, I began to question why, if God is fair, is there so much pain and suffering in the world?
Even if my faith was fading, as a woman in Iran I had no choice but to tolerate the hijab — the Islamic emblem of constant, misogynistic oppression. I avoided looking at myself in mirrors. Wearing the head-covering was torment enough. When traveling abroad for chess tournaments, I admired the young women from other countries who wore nice clothes, their hair beautifully styled. I gradually began to spend more time in front of the mirror, trying to find ways, within the confines of my fabric prison, to appear normal.
Read More →
By Shohreh Bayat | 17 Feb 2020
Shohreh Bayat is an arbiter for the International Chess Federation.
RELATED TOPICS:
Trump Calls Musk’s Formation of New Party “Ridiculous” and Confusing
Politics /
10 hours ago
Fresno DUI Driver Slams Into CHP Motorcycle, Tow Truck on Highway 99
Local /
16 hours ago
Russia Downs 120 Ukrainian Drones Overnight, Defense Ministry Says
World /
16 hours ago
Israel Sends Delegation to Qatar for Gaza Talks Ahead of Netanyahu Trip to US
World /
16 hours ago
Musk Announces Forming of ‘America Party’ in Further Break From Trump
Politics /
16 hours ago
Death Toll From Texas Floods Reaches 59, Including 21 Children
News /
16 hours ago
California’s Politics Drifts Right While New York’s Leans Left
Opinion /
17 hours ago
How Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ Will Make China Great Again
Opinion /
2 days ago
What’s Caitlin Clark Worth to the WNBA? A Lot More Than Her $78,066 Salary.
Sports /
2 days ago
TikTok Building New Version of App Ahead of Expected US Sale, the Information Reports
TikTok is building a new version of its app for users in the United States ahead of a planned sale of the app to a group of investors, The I...
Tech /
9 hours ago
Categories
Latest
Videos

Tech /
9 hours ago
TikTok Building New Version of App Ahead of Expected US Sale, the Information Reports

World /
9 hours ago
Hamas Government Office Rejects US Accusation of Involvement in Gaza Aid Site Attack

News /
9 hours ago
Death Toll From Texas Floods Reaches 78, Trump Plans Visit

Politics /
10 hours ago
Trump Calls Musk’s Formation of New Party “Ridiculous” and Confusing

Local /
16 hours ago
Fresno DUI Driver Slams Into CHP Motorcycle, Tow Truck on Highway 99

World /
16 hours ago
Russia Downs 120 Ukrainian Drones Overnight, Defense Ministry Says

World /
16 hours ago
Israel Sends Delegation to Qatar for Gaza Talks Ahead of Netanyahu Trip to US

Video /
4 days ago