The inspiring story of Maryam Khatoonpour Molkara, an Iranian trans woman who’s bravery & perseverance changed her country and lit the path for the acceptance of queer identities in Islam—— a thread. 
Molkara was always in trouble because of her identity. She was bullied as a child for being ‘girly’. When she grew up and came out as trans she was fired from her job in Iranian television. She was arrested, forcibly injected with male hormones and put in a psychiatric facility.
Molkara eventually got herself released thanks to her contacts with influential clerics. She could have left Iran and gone to a european county where it would have been safer to be herself, but she vowed to fight against the injustices she had faced.
In order to do so Molkara knew who she had to reach: Ayatollah Khomeini, the supreme leader of Iran. She had written numerous letters to him in the past with no avail, but she was still determined to speak to him.
Molkara had enough. In 1987 she showed up to Khomeini’s HEAVILY guarded compound knowing full well how risky it’d be (imagine breaking into the white house’s front lawn in broad daylight, then throw in the fact that you are a raging tr@nny in the midst of an Islamic revolution)
She knew that she had to get past layers of security to even have a chance at meeting Khomeini so she wore a pair of shoes tied around her neck and held the quran, a gesture meant to convey one is seeking shelter. She dressed as a man and even grew out a beard.
Upon her approaching the compound Khomeini’s guards pounced on her and began beating her. It was through the mercy of Allah (swt) that at this exact moment Khomeini’s brother was nearby. He stopped them and took Molkara inside as he recognized that she was seeking shelter.
Molkara tried to explain her predicament but amongst her hysteria the security guards grew anxious of the band around her chest, thinking she was carrying explosives. The band was removed and out came the fully formed breasts she grew while transitioning.
The women in the room rushed to cover Molkara with a chador (cloak). Molkara explained herself and at this point Khomeini’s own son arrived to investigate the commotion. He was so moved by Molkara’s story that he took her to go see Ayatollah Khomeini himself.
Molkara did not think she’d get this far... sis literally fainted. she woke up to Khomeini yelling at his guards for beating her. Upon consulting with his three most trusted doctors, Khomeini learned what was going on and the difference between intersex and trans individuals.
That day Khomeini gave a fatwa (a religious decree) that allowed Molkara, and by implication others like her, to legally undergo gender affirmation surgery and to receive state recognition of her gender identity.
Iran’s current supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, gave Molkara a black veil to officially recognize her as a woman, upholding Khomeini’s fatwa.
Maryam Khatoon Molkara pased away in 2012 but her spirt lives on in every single queer muslim today. It is on us as a community to continue her work and to never stop pushing for queer liberation. There is hope. Remember that.
I do find it worthy to mention that it’s not all rainbows and sunshine for queer people in Iran, homosexuality is still punishable by death and cis gay men & women are often forced to transition. That being said Molkara’s story proves that change IS possible.
*passed aksoalskkdks i KNEW i couldn’t get through this thread without a typo
