The Fall of the Veil is a photo essay that explores issues of homosexuality and transsexuality in ultra-conservative, Islamist Iran. It offers a personal perspective on the subject, combining documentary photography with more intimate and emotional images, alongside symbolic elements of Persian culture and society.
In Iran, homosexuality is punishable by death; however, transsexuality is regarded as a condition that can be treated through surgery. A religious edict issued by Ayatollah Khomeini in 1980 legalised sex-reassignment operations intended to correct this supposed deviation. The issue is that this apparent progress regarding the rights of transgender people in ultra-conservative Iran is, for many homosexuals, a desperate last resort. After pressure and harassment from their families, society, and the police, some decide to undergo sex-reassignment surgery in order to feel safe and protected under the law.
In a country where there is no sex education whatsoever, nor any information on sexual diversity, even members of the LGBTI community are often deeply confused about the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity.
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