Crimson Gold (Tala sorkh)

Last night I watched the award winning movie "Crimson Gold". Regardless of my surprise of how well the movie was technically done, I was amazed by Abbas Kiarostami's way of capturing the class clash in Iran. It truly shows how people from lower class are treated by "bala shahri", meaning high class people.
When i was in Iran 12 years ago, I went into one of the fine jewelry stores, where my mother is a very good customer and saw with my own eyes how a lower class woman was treated: the sales person, with her plastic surgery nose, her lenses of an undefyinable color, her Gucci scarf, treated this woman, who was 3 times as old as her, with less respect that you would treat a Hyena in the desert. At that moment I would not take it anymore, and left the store, making sure everyone knew why.
Sure enough, one could argue that these class clashes are everywhere. But I tend to think that they happen more in Middle Eastern countries. In Iran, I believe, every young girl and every woman thinks that they are Princess Roxana, who was famous for her class. what might seem fascinating to the western male eye, is just pure arrogance and ignorance. Too sad!

More male or female prisoners in Iran?

I was inspired by my commentary saying that there are more men than women in prisons. I will write specifically about Iran's situation:
Not having been there in any prison, neither as a prisoner nor as an interviewer, I can not say for sure that this is true. But based on articles and books I read and also from discussions with people who have been there, I think that the number should be around 50/50. True or untrue, the absolute truth is the difference of the nature of any gender imprisonment: while men rarely get arrested if they have raped, the women who have been raped get arrested. My question now: WHY? The answer from the jurisdiction institutions is very easy: these women forced men to look at them in a sexual way and not be able to control themselves. They basically encouraged to be raped. I don't know how these people who speak the verdicts can live with their decision. Don't they have daughters, wives, sisters, mothers themselves? Why do women have to cover themselves up to control male hormones?
Sure enough there are more males probably when you look at the political prisons. Even though that might be changing as well, now that women increasingly get involved in politics.
Concluding I would say that the nature of the imprisonment is different, but I am not sure about the ratio.

How it all started

Born by Persian parents and raised in Germany in the 1980s, I never knew how lucky I was to have a "free" childhood as a girl. Sure enough, I don't think there is one Persian father who does not say to his daughter that a good Persian girl should not do this or that. Well, but regardless of that I had the advantage of growing up with freedom of mind and freedom of speaks. Rebellious as I was, and still am, I made sure to speak up for myself and also for those who were more on the shy side and did not have the power. With power I mean friends who did not speak up to classmates or teachers.
Little did I know back then how many women from my native country were suppressed and male-treated.
The first time I made this unpleasant experience was when one of my mother's brothers said as a joke: "You are just a girl and should not even talk." I could not believe my ears, I was 15 at that time and was used to being asked about my opinion and respected as a mature girl.
That day I made up my mind to do anythign in my power to help women to express themselves, to start uniting and to start realizing that they DO have the right to speak up.