I'm so glad that I was sitting down when I came upon this news article, because I would have fallen over in a dead faint:Imagine! For the 1st time since 1979, Iranian women will be allowed to attend sporting events in public, in front of men, in stadiums! Women had been barred from sporting events because (at least officially) of the "cramped nature of sporting events (c_i_r: elbows touching?) as well as the profanities shouted by male spectators" (c_i_r: because men don't swear at home?). President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has pointed out that "the lifting of the ban would 'promote chastity' among all Iranians". I don't quite understand how the two go hand in hand, unless Iranian women are particularly homely (which I know they're not) and would thus pose no temptation to men, or further protection will be taken to desexualize them - maybe by double burqa-ing them. I just don't get it. Anyway, yeah for the ladies. Hope they get complimentary big foam "we're #1" fingers at the gates.
The Physical Education Organization's security chief conceded that the new policy would "take time to implement ... we need time to furnish the stadiums with the necessary means to accommodate them. There is the issue of separate toilets and separate entrances and exits". I was actually smiling until I finished that last sentence. So in effect, allowing women to attend football matches will promote chastity but allowing them to share doorways with men will promote licentiousness. Go figure: Sodom & Gomorrah in the stands. This after President Ahmadinejad said "... unfortunately there are some who think the only solution is enforcement action and building walls in the streets" to separate the sexes. He might want to rethink the separate entrances plan. Seems to be an architectural conflict of interest there.
Still, I'm thrilled for the womenfolk - but I'll truly be happy when the FIFA Women's World Cup is held in Tehran. Or better yet, when Iran stops executing children. Oh well, one step at a time.
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