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Iran
THE SEXES
Traditional Attitudes Toward Segregation of the Sexes
With the notable exception of the Westernized and secularized
upper and middle classes, Iranian society before the Revolution
practiced public segregation of the sexes. Women generally practiced
use of the chador (or veil) when in public or when males
not related to them were in the house. In the traditional view,
an ideal society was one in which women were confined to the home,
where they performed the various domestic tasks associated with
managing a household and rearing children. Men worked in the public
sphere, that is, in the fields, factories, bazaars, and offices.
Deviations from this ideal, especially in the case of women, tended
to reflect adversely upon the reputation of the family. The strength
of these traditional attitudes was reflected in the public education
system, which maintained separate schools for boys and girls from
the elementary through the secondary levels.
The traditional attitudes on the segregation of women clashed
sharply with the views and customs of the secularized upper and
middle classes, especially those in Tehran. Mixed gatherings,
both public and private, were the norm. During the Pahlavi era
the government was the main promoter of change in traditional
attitudes toward sexual segregation. It sought to discourage veiling
of women at official functions and encouraged mixed participation
in a variety of public gatherings. The result was to bring the
government into social conflict with the Shia clergy, who sought
to defend traditional values.
Data as of December 1987
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