Barred From Stadium, Iranian Photographer Channels Batman To Get The Shots
Iranian photographer Parisa Pourtaherian only has one quote in her Instagram bio:
“Always be yourself unless you can be Batman, then always BE BATMAN!”
Fitting for Pourtaherian who possesses zero super-powers, but has become a hero to many by using her intellect, technology & will to overcome. And she’s known to hang out on rooftops at night, too…
Barred from entering any stadium/arena sporting event played by men in her home country, she found a loophole to capturing teams from the Iranian Premiere League. High up on a nearby terrace outside Vatani Stadium with a telephoto sense, she was able to capture photos like these:
The ban on women has been enforced by Iran’s ruling clerics since the Islamic revolution in 1979, but I’ve seen several stories this year about pushback. From the Washington Post:
In March, 35 women attempting to sneak into Azadi Stadium for a match between two Tehran clubs were detained by authorities. A day later, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who was present at the match, told reporters that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had “promised that women in Iran will have access to football stadiums soon.”
Ok, FIFA.
Clearly this is something women there will have to keep fighting for themselves, and they will. This past Spring I wrote a blog about Iranian women pulling a reverse Mrs. Doubtfire & dressing as men to sneak into a game at Azadi Stadium in Tehran.
There was also a little headway made during the World Cup when women refused to be denied. In June the Iranian government announced men & women would both be allowed into Azadi stadium to watch a video stream of the World Cup but when the day finally arrived, to no one’s surprise..
“Tonight’s match between Iran and Spain will not be broadcast at Azadi Stadium today due to infrastructure difficulties,” Iran’s Tasnim news agency wrote less than three hours before kickoff. “Since there will be no public broadcast, it is respectfully asked from our dear nationals to avoid going to Azadi Stadium.”
Many fans turned up at the stadium anyway. On Twitter, photos and videos were posted of Iranians sitting, standing and playing vuvuzelas (the plastic horns made famous at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa) in protest. Decked out with Iranian flags, headscarves and other paraphernalia, both female and male soccer fans stared down a row of police blocking the entrance to the stadium.
Finally, after about an hour, the police gave way. The stadium gates were opened, and men, women and children who had bought tickets filed in, whipping out their phones and selfie sticks to capture a piece of history. Moments later, the official account of Iran’s national team tweeted a picture of a female fan in the stands of Azadi Stadium holding up an Iranian flag. “Azadi Stadium, now!” the tweet said in Farsi.
They have the support of the Iranian National Team and many men who also believe the ban need to end. I admire the bravery of women like Pourtaherian who continue to show the government they have a stake in the games and are just as worthy of attending. Like a true Batman, she’s taking on their backwards, sausage-fest policies & making them look like nothing but Jokers.