So a handshake is a sexual relationship
They have got to be kidding.
Iran. The Independent reports:
An Iranian artist currently serving more than 12 years in prison for criticising the government now faces further charges of “indecency” for allegedly shaking her male lawyer’s hand.
Amnesty International reports that Atena Farghadani, 29, who was jailed after she depicted Iranian government officials as monkeys and goats in a satirical cartoon, may face a longer sentence amid claims over the handshake.
Charges of an “illegitimate sexual relationship short of adultery” have been brought against Farghadani and her lawyer Mohammad Moghimi amid allegations he visited her in jail and shook her hand – which is illegal in Iran.
Seriously? Seriously? A longer sentence for shaking a man’s hand??
What can they possibly be thinking? Even Iran?
Farghadani was sentenced to 12 years and nine months in prison earlier this year following the publication of her cartoon which was drawn in protest at plans by the Iranian government to outlaw voluntary sterilisation and to restrict access to contraception.
The cartoonist was arrested in August 2014 after publishing her satirical artworks on Facebook and spent three months in Evin prison in Tehran before being released in November.
She was later found guilty by a Tehran court of “colluding against national security”, “spreading propaganda against the system” and “insulting members of the parliament” through her artwork.
Then she wrote letters of protest to the Top Mullahs, and Amnesty thinks that’s why she got a 12 year sentence.
And now this.
It’s outrageous.
My God! I had no idea I had had so many sexual relationships in my life!
Outrageous is right. What the hell kind of place is that? They hate women so much that they find preposterous reasons for keeping them jailed. A handshake. This is way further back than Medieval. I think it is a case of de-evolution of some kind. Definitely pre-homo sapiens.
I just had a sexual relationship on Friday with a man I’d only known for half an hour! Who would have thought!
This is totally outlandish. I plan to shake hands with every man I meet tomorrow, just to show my solidarity.
Hang on, does that mean all those offended mullahs and parliamentarians have been having gay sexual relationships?
Isn’t it true that in English any social exchange can be referred to as ‘intercourse’? We are all terribly promiscuous.
But it isn’t funny at all. The only difference between the Haredi Jews in Israel and these Iranian authorities is that the Haredim are not (yet?) in power over the country. So while they might also believe that a handshake between people of different sexes is almost as immodest as having sex with them, at this point all they can do is to refuse or avoid shaking hands with people of a different sex, and perhaps complain about secular people insisting on shaking hands. (Shulamit Aloni used to make a point of offering to shake hands whenever she was in the presence of a Haredi man, especially if they were on camera, to make sure the public sees them making the wffort to avoid her.)
Rob, in many Middle-Eastern societies kissing between 2 men isn’t considered sexual expression, that’s just normal socializing. Especially kissing on the cheek, but sometimes even more than that.
Anat, yeah I know. And I have no problem with either that or people having intercourse (sexual or not) with any consenting party. It’s the fine for us, not for you bit that makes me angry.
This should make some good study at Yale.
I am not so sure about that. I think the English language lacks words strong enough to be appropriate. “Outrageous” seems just a notch above “objectionable” or the like. Perhaps a thousand word diatribe might do it justice, but unfortunately I lack the skill. Oh heck, I’ll settle for “outrageous” for now, then.
Related anecdote…
I’m a minor academic, and twice a year I go to graduation ceremonies and give myself RSI applauding politely while hundreds of students are given their degree certificates by someone High Up. Sometimes the High Up person is a man; sometimes it’s a woman.
A percentage of those students are Muslim women. And a percentage of that percentage will refuse to shake hands with the High Up if it’s a man.
I simply cannot understand this. Here are educated women (some of whom I’ve taught, and who were bright and articulate in the classroom) who’ve been living in the UK for at least three years. They must have seen people shaking hands. Mr High Up even shook the hand of the Muslim woman just before them in the queue, and somehow managed to resist the temptation to stick his tongue down her throat. Likewise, she managed to resist the temptation to drop her knickers right there.
Maybe they’re worried that they’ll be seen shaking hands by more conservative family members. But that doesn’t really clarify much. The fundamental question – Shaking hands? Really? – stands.
It’s perplexing that those most concerned with modesty and purity end up sexualising everything.
Enzyme:
“Maybe they’re worried that they’ll be seen shaking hands by more conservative family members.”
High probability that that’s the case. Religion and observance of custom are all about showing that you belong.
And belonging trumps logic and reason every time. Well, mostly anyway.
@Omar # 11
Even then, though, presumably those family members have seen others shaking hands without causing sexogeddon…
Sexogeddon. Best term I’ve heard all week…maybe all month.
No sexogeddon required – the religious authorities said no.
But, but… Of course, the “shaking hands = sex” formulation is absurd and unfathomable, but how is it the government’s (the government’s!) business whether she has sex with someone? Why do they get to have an opinion and act upon that information? Rhetorical questions.
I’m starting a new job tonight. I was going to shake a lot of hands, but now…
This is preposterous. But not funny. Horrifying.