مقنعه

The maqna'e is the garment of compulsion most directly tied to growing up female in Iran. School inspectors check that hair is fully tucked under, that the front edge sits low on the forehead, that no bangs show. The daily negotiation between students and the ناظم (nâzem) "discipline officer" over millimeters of fabric, color, fit, and how far back the maqna'e can be pushed is a near-universal Iranian schoolgirl memory. The 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom protests began in this generational ground: many of the schoolgirls who removed their maqna'e in classrooms and posted the videos had been pushed against the rule for years.