Quantcast IMOW - Raising a Child in Iran's Cultural Divide
Stories
[close]
Themes
What Defines Your Generation of Women?
[close]
Love
Relationships in changing times. See the Stories>>

Money
Working women talk finances. See the Stories>>

Culture and Conflict
Are we destined to disagree? See the Stories>>

The Future
Envisioning the next 30 years. See the Stories>>

Highlights
Highlighted stories in film, art, music and more. See the Stories>>

War & Dialogue
Speaking from war. Advocating peace. See the Stories>>

Young Men
Our generation: young men speak out. See the Stories>>

Motherhood
Women get candid about pregnancy, parenting and choice. See the Stories>>

Image and Identity
Appearances aren't everything, or are they? See the Stories>>

Online Film Festival
31 films from women directors around the world. See the Stories>>

A Generation Defined
Who are young women today? See the Stories>>

Best of Contest
You came, you saw, you voted. Here are the winners. See the Stories>>
Conversations
[close]
What Defines Your Generation of Women?
selected theme



HOME  |   EXPLORE OTHER THEMES     |   STORIES     |  CONVERSATION    |  EVENTS  |  TAKE ACTION  |  ABOUT
Search:  
  GO  
REGISTER  |  LOGIN Change Language»    Invite a friend »
Raising a Child in Iran's Cultural Divide
Azadeh Moaveni
IranGALLERYCONVERSATION
My friend's eight-year-old son brought a DVD home from school the other day, a 10-minute collection of "highlights"...
When I first discovered I was pregnant, and my husband and I discussed starting our family here in Iran, I thought mostly about bassinettes, prenatal tests, and how much a baby would adore the animal reliefs at Persepolis. I knew we would be raising our child between cultures - we both come from Iranian families, but grew up in the West and are familiar with the discomforts of living in between.
Coping with the gulf between Iranian private and public life is an intricate skill that even adults here manage with varying degrees of success. Wearing masks or lying when required, all while keeping your core identity intact, is the daily business of adults who live in authoritarian societies.
The very idea that I would be competing with my child's teachers and other role models over basic values (the role of religion in daily life, whether or not Western culture is corrupt) is intimidating. What if they win out, even for a phase? What's even scarier is that by doing the right thing - poising your kid's mind against extremist mullahs and their dogma - you may not be instilling tolerance, but safety hazards.
Kids seem prone to asking endless questions from the moment they can talk. They want to know why you wear a veil outside in Tehran, but not at home and not on trips. The right answer (Mommy doesn't believe in the veil, but the government denies her right to choose) could be punishable, if repeated by a child in a classroom.
See Full Story »
RELATED ITEMS (20)

 
Itzel Martínez Del Canizo
Mexico
I have been a mother for only a year, but my experience has...
GO TO STORY »
Cristina Teresa O'Keeffe
United States
This poem is an attempt to address the complicated roles and...
GO TO STORY »
Nina Paley
United States
Bundle of Joy or Population Bomb? 
GO TO STORY »
Marizilda Cruppe – EVE Photographers
Brazil
Luciana is a 16 year-old adolescent girl, pregnant with her...
GO TO STORY »
©2008 International Museum of Women / Privacy Policy and Disclaimer / Translated by 101translations / Change Language
The content in this exhibit does not necessarily represent the opinions of the International Museum of Women, or its partners or sponsors.