Blind Obsession

International Relations, Iran, Politics, Women

The history of my family’s homeland is intricately bound to that of its neighbor Iran. As an American and a diasporan Armenian, I have often felt disturbed by America’s perceptions of Iran. What assumptions do we apply to these photographs based on the fear that our politicians and media create when they show Iran as a dangerous Other? Do our fears negate comprehension of our shared humanity with the people there? Challenging accepted wisdom about Iran, I photographed and spoke to women there during our brief window of freedom between travel bans. As an American, I question our current socio-political climate of extreme nationalist narrative with Iran as archenemy, hatred of Muslims, and deeply embedded misogyny. In confronting stereotypes of Iran, including those arising from American patriarchy, consider the context of imperialism and associated power dynamics in both our countries and how this affects us as women. These images investigate different aspects of the American obsession with Iran through the daily lives of women in familiar scenes: shoppers in a mall, a mother and her daughter on their way to school, girlfriends taking a selfie, a young couple chatting, a woman taking a quiet moment alone, a child holding tight to her mother’s hand crossing the street.

Nothing the government or media spins about Iran seems true. Religious extremists and politicians in both our countries have a blind obsession with each other. In these images you will encounter women whose lives intersect with the lives of women everywhere, caring for children, going to work, sharing a meal, visiting with friends, struggling with the persistent issues of inequality that confront women throughout the world. When governments seek to repress us we resist, expressing ourselves in ways that are possible within cultural constraints. A woman spoke to me about Islam and Persian love poetry, and the resurgence of interest in Zoroastrianism. Another conversation told of US sanctions leaving ruling elites untouched, but mothers without life-saving medicines. Other stories told about religious police and underground parties, corruption, harassment, and restrictions on art and music. As our government seeks to restrict our freedoms in an increasingly uneasy political climate, I consider the challenges we share with the women in these photos and admire the strength of women everywhere.