Passionate Uprisings: Iran's Sexual Revolution

by Pardis Mahdavi

There is perhaps no place in the world today where the stakes of partying and having sex are higher than in present-day Iran. Drinking and dancing can lead to arrest by the morality police and a punishment of up to 70 lashes. Consequences for sex outside of marriage can be even more severe―up to 84 lashes, or even public execution. But even under the threat of such harsh punishment, a sexual revolution is taking place. Iranian youth continually risk personal safety to meet friends, date, and, ultimately, to have sex. In the absence of any option for overt political dissent, young people have become part of a self-proclaimed revolution in which they are using their bodies to make social and political statements. Sex has become both a source of freedom and an act of political rebellion. With unprecedented access inside turn-of-the century Iran, Pardis Mahdavi offers a firsthand look at the daily lives of Iranian youth. They are given a voice as she tells the stories of their intertwined quests for sexual freedom, political reform, and a better future―but not a future without risk. The sexual revolution is also leading to increased levels of abortion, HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, and ongoing emotional troubles and mental illnesses, with worrying implications for Iranian youth and Iranian society at large. Passionate Uprisings is a fascinating, ground-breaking, and personal look into a society that is poorly understood―if it is understood at all―by the majority of Westerners today. Mahdavi's narrative provides not only an invaluable insight into the real lives of much of Iran's population, but shows how sexual politics and the youth culture could even destabilize the current regime and change the course of Iranian politics.

Genres: Iran, Islam, Sexuality, Nonfiction, Anthropology, Middle East, Politics

344 pages, Paperback

First published September 4, 2008

Reviews

[Alex Shams · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is 300 pages of her going to parties, being surprised that people have sex, being afraid she'll get caught and then going to more parties where she gets surprised again. She throws the term "sexual revolution" around over and over in the most inane fashion without giving us any history on sexuality in Iran and why any of her research constitutes a "revolution."

If you didn't know that some people in Iran party, have sex, and drink a lot, then this book might be fun and it gives lots and lots of vignettes of those kinds of scenes to ponder. If you happen to have already realized that fact, this books adds nothing much but some mediocre analysis of the inherently political implications of doing this stuff. She glosses over class and privilege like they're irrelevant for a survey of Iranians in wealthy neighborhoods who party too much, and makes gross generalizations about the youth of Iran based on the kids she drinks with.

If you wanna read about the adventures of Pardis in Tehran's party scene, this is the book for you. If you want anything more substantial about contemporary Iranian society and Iranian youth, stay far away.

Would this have been published or read if it was about any country in the world besides Iran? Probably not.

[Simcha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poorly constructed ethnography. Small sample size, highly subjective to her own experience. She makes assertions about the culture with little evidence to support them. Do not recommend this book excpet maybe as a study to build off of for the future.

[Lauren Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Important topic. Could have been a better book.

[Sasha Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Iranian anthropologist (trained and mainly resident in the US) presents seven years of qualitative research into the sexual behaviour, attitudes and dress codes of young Tehranis and their parents. She touches on homosexuality and bisexuality more briefly than I would have liked, although it is clear from the interviews she does set out that both are present (and female bisexuality possibly quite widespread) amongst her informants; she states that these issues require a wider study. She does not address transgender at all, possibly for the same reason.

However, this is a very interesting read and provides a fascinating glimpse of the complexities of life in Tehran, the strategies young people use to carve out spaces to party, drink alcohol and have sex in defiance of the komite (morality police), and the success they seem to be having in changing attitudes amongst their elders (including some of the younger komite members). If you think of Iran as monolithically conservative, this would be a good corrective. It would also be a good read if you are interested in any of daily life in Iran, sexual health, or the political uses of personal choices such as dress and sexual behaviour.

[Xandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Important topic. Would have benefited from editing.

[Lizw · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Iranian anthropologist (trained and mainly resident in the US) presents seven years of qualitative research into the sexual behaviour, attitudes and dress codes of young Tehranis and their parents. She touches on homosexuality and bisexuality more briefly than I would have liked, although it is clear from the interviews she does set out that both are present (and female bisexuality possibly quite widespread) amongst her informants; she states that these issues require a wider study. She does not address transgender at all, possibly for the same reason. However, this is a very interesting read and provides a fascinating glimpse of the complexities of life in Tehran, the strategies young people use to carve out spaces to party, drink alcohol and have sex in defiance of the komite (morality police), and the success they seem to be having in changing attitudes amongst their elders (including some of the younger komite members). If you think of Iran as monolithically conservative, this would be a good corrective. It would also be a good read if you are interested in any of daily life in Iran, sexual health, or the political uses of personal choices such as dress and sexual behaviour.

[Brian Griffith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mahdavi investigates shifting attitudes and enduring fears. She finds women responding differently a the kind of parental control over women. Concerning the requirements that they “protect themselves” with figure-concealing clothes and headscarves, many women constantly push the boundaries, wearing their headscarves as loosely as possible without courting arrest. At the same time, very many women insist on tying their scarves firmly under their chins to hide all trace of hair. Mahdavi challenges these women: "if one day the government told you it was okay to take off your head covering, would you do it? They would respond negatively. They would tell me that Iranian men weren’t ready for that, and they were scared they would be “eaten alive" if they left home without proper covering” Mahdavi firmly believes in resisting the dress code, but then has to admit, “When I entered the bazar dressed fashionably, men would follow me, make comments, and pinch my upper legs until they were black and blue. After a few visits I learned that if I didn’t want to spend the afternoon hitting men with my handbag, making a scene, and fighting them off, I would have to dress more modestly” (p. 34). Overall, it's good, challenging journalism on matters deemed intimate.

[Shilda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is an ethnography based off 7 years of field work. It reads much like a journal and is an easy read. It will give you an understanding of the conditions in which Iranians live in today as well as a brief history.
Though the research included 105 face-to-face in-depth qualitative interviews, the core of her research focused on 7 secular upper middle class individuals where the social and traditional rules are already lax. None of the informants researched were from the lower class where radical religious views are extreme and deeply ingrained. Nothing was done to uncover lower class sentiment. Therefore, the informants did not represent a diverse group through the social, political, or geographical realm.

[Lulu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down or stop telling everyone around me on my beach vacation about all the amazing anecdotes I was reading. The book is accessible, which I am realizing may be a rarity in the field of ethnographies, and is really eye-opening. This is a side of Iran that absolutely no one in the West talks about. Read it for a fascinating look into youth life in an area of the world that is rarely talked about in terms outside of military policy.

[Mary Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting premise that posits sexual activities as political speech under a government where there are morality police who monitor every action, public and private of young people. Add high unemployment and you have a young population with lots of time on their hands.
Makes me appreciate the freedoms we enjoy in the USA.

[mark]

read a good review about this

[Ash Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roughly 70% of the population of Iran is underage. And they're bored.

Meanwhile, the powers that be are like Lithgow in Footloose but with a lot more bloodlust.

[Elizabeth]

As recommended by the A.V. Club.

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting qualitative study of Iranian youth and their life in an oppressive regimen.

[Darci · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an excellent look into the life of young adults in Iran today. Iran is different than most people think.

[Fiona · Rating 2 out of 5]

Important topic, not a good book

[Wren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very eye opening to me about sexual culture in Iran. It definitely makes me appreciate the sexual and social freedoms we have in America