#Awaits possible backlash

[moomingitz]

It's all about wanting more sunshine and sparkle farts in the Sonic fandom until you like or praise the wrong thing.✨✨🩷🫶✨✨🌟💖❤️

[dawnlovesham]

Close enough

[flingmetothemoon]

Don't mean to sound like a partypooper, but you know what grinds my gears about Sonic X Shadow Generations? "With Shadow's portion of the title, players will get to know him more as a character and understand his motivations"

We already learned enough about his character and motivations in his debut game, Sonic Heroes, his own game and Sonic 06 2 decades ago! Is Takashi seriously indicating that wasn't enough? Like what more about him do we need to learn about? Was he apparently just a flat character all along?! 🤦‍♀️

I also feel bad for the kids looking up Sonic X Shadow Generations and potentially getting bombarded with Sonadow pictures they don't expect to see. How could they name it like this and be like "Surely nothing could possibly go wrong searching up the name of our new game on Google right?"? I think it would've been better to go the same route as Sonic Colors Ultimate, and name it: "Sonic Generations Ultimate" to avoid that kind of stuff happening, and to be more consistent. It's kinda like when Sonic 06 was just called: "SONIC THE HEDGEHOG" which is just the same name as the first game. So original and TOTALLY not confusing at all amiright? Someone needs to come up with better names for their Sonic games.

[flingmetothemoon]

I used to be in the movie hype for quite some time and trust me, the hype sure was fun while it lasted, but now that it's chilled down and I'm reminding myself about what I loved about Sonic pre-Sonic Cinematic Universe, I began to realize that the movies honestly weren't really that great... (More on why in future posts) I'll still plan on seeing the 3rd movie when it comes out in case it turns out better than expected. (Not counting on it but you'll never know 🤷‍♀️)

If I was making the bingo, I would remember how the movies had the Echidna tribe, the Master Emerald, Sonic's connection to the Chaos Emeralds, the water pipe busting reference from SA1 and the "Chaos is power" reference would make you think they could possibly set up the SA1 arc, but nope, they just HAVE to dive STRAIGHT to SA2. Which means no Chaos, no Tikal and probably no chao either even though they and Amy appeared in Sonic's life BEFORE Shadow did, and they probably wouldn't appear in the Knuckles miniseries either because I heard the plot of it is just Knuckles training a human character to be a warrior (And will apparently have more humans cuz of course "Oh we just didn't have enough budget to make more than 4-5 CGI characters, so that's why 50% of the screentime contains a human subplot you didn't ask for :C")

Now I wouldn't necessarily say that Tails doesn't do anything, but I sure don't expect him having much significant relevancy to the plot other than existing to remind us he is Sonic's #1 buddy forever for the 999th time in a row. *Sigh* I miss those times were Sonic is able to actually bond with someone not named Tails, Knuckles, Eggman, Shadow, Amy and occasional OC of the game. :C

[moomingitz]

The idea of having Amy convince Shadow that genocide is bad m'kay in Sonic X instead of Chris is funny to think about, because it would have been a sight to behold to see the inevitable intense discourse on the Shadamy side of things over seeing Shadow canonically manhandling Amy. Constant back and forth between fans arguing whether Shadamy is truly toxic and abusive and all, especially when you consider how it was popular at the time in fan fiction to portray Sonic as abusive in order to have her end up with Shadow.

[dawnlovesham]

OF COURSE.

[flingmetothemoon]

Video by Tactical Bacon Productions

Even someone who is not a hardcore Sonic fan played the game and saw what a mess this game was (Even having a hard time focusing on many things going on while watching a gameplay 🥴)

[flingmetothemoon]

Eh, is there a date option? Because I might take him out on one date, but I don't know if I would wanna marry him, because here's a friendly reminder that this guy literally went through 5 stages of grief each episode all because a girl he liked declined his marriage proposal. The fact that Josh apparently spend money on a suit jacket that matched her favorite color he was gonna wear on their wedding before he even proposed to her on NATIONAL TELEVISION all because he was SOOO sure she will say yes is usually a red flag. (Especially when Gaston pulled something similar before) So maybe kill him as in fling him to the moon and leave him stranded there until he resolves his abandonment issues himself? Sorry Ben, I like you and all but your character is too clingy to be in a healthy marriage. So is Movie!Sonic and Yasper who LITERALLY MURDERED HIS FORMER BAND MEMBER IN COLD BLOOD BECAUSE HE'S AN ENTITLED BRAT WHO WANTS THE WORLD TO REVOLVE AROUND HIM EVEN THOUGH HE'S ALREADY SUCCESSFUL ENOUGH. Maybe Clyde if it's true that I heard he apparently had a sulk fest over getting rejected once. You know what? Half of Ben's characters are too unhealthily obsessive and clingy to be marriage material. XD

Results for dear Jack are here.

Speaking of Mr. Bath, don’t leave him hanging

[rmstitanics]

* GENERAL OBSERVATIONS, PART THREE.

ASTEROIDS & CELESTIAL BODIES

ASTEROID ORPHEUS (3361) CONJUNCT CHIRON may represent one who looks to their past for creative inspiration. They’ll often use their preferred form of art in an attempt to understand traumatizing events or process any emotions that may still linger.

ASTEROID APOLLO (1862) in the 8H could signify an individual who enjoys creating or consuming media about controversial and dark topics.

When I see ASTEROID PANDORA (55) in the 10H, I immediately wonder whether the individual with this placement has experienced some sort of chaos or crises regarding their public image. Maybe they’ve had traumatic experiences with their main circle of friends, or maybe they’ve even received some level of backlash on social media for a flawed interaction. Whatever these natives have endured, they probably yearn to control public perception of their character in an attempt to prevent misunderstandings.

Check which house ASTEROID ARISTOTELES (6123) is located in within your natal chart to find where you crave the most knowledge and wisdom! As an example, I have my Aristoteles asteroid in the 8H of transformative experiences, death, and “taboo” topics — and I’m now a practicing divination witch who enjoys paranormal investigation.

Due to difficulty with turning intuitive ideas into real achievements, 9H CHIRON individuals might find the process of outlining an essay or project to be particularly challenging. They’re the types of students who change their thesis a bunch of times before a paper’s due date.

PLANETS IN SIGNS & HOUSES

SATURN 1H placements might have people pleasing tendencies at some point in their lives due to a fear of never meeting others’ expectations.

SAGITTARIUS SATURNS likely grew up in households where one or both parents was strict and / or religious. The challenge awaiting these folks in life is to pursue exploration of knowledge outside of what was taught to them in their youth. They probably enjoy philosophy or history, and could possibly grow up to be spiritual but not religious.

LEO MERCURY placements, was your writing style ever described as “flowery” by your teachers or fellow students before? Because this placement TOTALLY gives me the vibes of a flowery and dramatic writing style.

One could theoretically use their JUPITER placement to discover two things: 1) The field of study where they have experienced the most growth throughout their academic career and / or 2) their best academic subject. To do this, look at Jupiter’s degrees and house. I have CANCER JUPITER placed in the 9TH HOUSE in my chart, and I absolutely adore law, history, and philosophy! However, I’ve had to undergo the most growth in Cancerian concepts such as life skills in the home and actively listening to others.

CAPRICORN JUPITERS are prone to having a “the end justifies the means” philosophy when it comes to achieving their goals. They also might struggle with perspective taking / putting themselves in others’ shoes, particularly when they perceive the individual in question as someone outside of what they consider “normal”.

6H MOONS strike me as the type who love being around animals MUCH more than they love being around people, especially if the majority of their personal planets are in a water sign.

ASPECTS

SUN SQUARE URANUS indicates memorable students whose teachers / professors will remember them for many years to come.

Hard MERCURY-PLUTO aspects could struggle with maintaining a consistent routine for studying, especially if Mercury is in retrograde in the chart.

MERCURY TRINE JUPITER placements LOVE yapping in class, but it’ll either be with their peers while the teacher is talking or by frequent class participation. If you’re the class participation type, you’ve probably had a teacher say “does anyone OTHER than (your name) know the answer?” before 😭

Although this placement does make for great activists who are not afraid to call out injustice when they see it, LILITH CONJUNCT MERCURY folks NEED to prioritize being tactful due to a natural tendency to bluntly say whatever’s on their mind with no filter.

SATURN-NEPTUNE aspects need to practice intense discernment when it comes to politics — fact check everything and don’t just believe everything you see / hear on the internet or news without taking the time to research it for yourself!

Hard ASCENDANT-SUN aspects tend to be noticeably different people in public versus private spaces. Your first impression of them will likely be VERY different from the truth of the person that they are behind closed doors.

MIDHEAVEN OPPOSITE VENUS placements are amazingly creative individuals whose art may play a major role in their own identity, but they simultaneously might have a major fear of sharing that art with others. Peer review in class is an absolute NIGHTMARE for them.

[iwanthermidnightz]

“Last night, left-leaning Swifties everywhere breathed a sigh of relief: Taylor Swift finally endorsed Democratic candidate Kamala Harris for president.

The Harris campaign seemed relieved too, if not ecstatic. Two officials told NBC News they had no idea Swift's endorsement was coming — her running mate, Tim Walz, even found out on live TV — but they were definitely ready for it. Just one hour after the debate had wrapped, friendship bracelets were being sold on the campaign website. Harris polished off her post-debate party by blasting Swift's anti-misogyny anthem "The Man."

The campaign's preparation makes sense. Swift's eventual endorsement of Harris had been likely all along. After all, she voted for Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Joe Biden; she publicly celebrated when Biden picked Harris as his running mate four years ago; she has repeatedly condemned homophobic and racist policies from the Republican Party. Swift has made her allegiance clear.

What wasn't clear was just how long she expected us to wait without making a fuss.

It's quite possible that Swift had always planned to share her endorsement last night, syncing it with the debate for maximum attention and impact. This would align with Swift's reputation as a canny strategist.”

[moomingitz]

Or just don't accept the literal last second movie role and stay? Oh wait, I forgot! She cried in self-pity for a whole minute, and acknowledged she's a shitty parent while making no real effort to actually change it and keep doing the same shit over and over again. Clearly she, and her equally dumb as hell husband, are the real victims- and not their child they keep blowing off, despite clearly having the means not to! The nerve of Chris wanting to doom his overpaid celebrity mother, and his billion-jillionaire father who most likely has a golden parachute attached to him, to a life of semi-luxury living by daring to want them to be a far more consistent presence in his life!

[dawnlovesham]

Angy battle cats

[flingmetothemoon]

Video by Jebtube

This video perfectly sums up why I'm becoming worn out and apathetic towards new Sonic content nowadays

[flingmetothemoon]

"He may share basic traits with og Eggman but his way of presenting them is much different and I don't feel he captures the essence. He's still as carrey like as possible in design and presentation, even in the second movie."

That is one similar problem I do have with how Ben Schwartz portrays Sonic. Absolutely no ill-will against him at all, but there is one question I wanna know: Why does he feel the need to leach himself onto iconic blue 90s characters who already had their own stories and personalities (Leonardo from Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Dewey Duck from Ducktales 2017 reboot and Sonic from the movies of course) when he's already a successful improv performer with his own shows where he can freely make as many jokes to his heart's content and when he can play new original characters in original TV shows (Jean Ralphio from Parks and Rec, Clyde Oberholt from House of Lies and F Tony Scarapiducci from Space Force)? Like go watch ROTTMNT Leo audio switches with Ben's other voices made by Galaxy_Cat on YouTube to see how those characters pretty much share the same vibes and personalities. XD

I remember reading about an interview Ben had about his obsession with video games and arcades and there was a part where he was called "An urban Peter Pan, he specializes in portraying young men who can’t or won’t grow up" and now I thought to myself "Huh... No wonder his versions of those iconic blue 90s characters whom he turned into his personal self-inserts won't grow up and stop making pop-culture jokes every time they open their mouths, (I know the Sonic sequel talked about him still needing growing up to do but... Ehh... We'll believe it when we see it for ourselves) because the voice actor is like that! Heck even his character from House of Lies has more serious moments than the self-insert hedgehog who's only Sonic by name despite him supposingly having bigger childhood trauma. Voicing Sonic was apparently his dream come true because he remembers when he played the first Sonic games when he was a wee lil lad, meaning his reason for turning Sonic into less like the Sonic we knew and loved and more into his hedgehog self-insert is basically "Cuz mah childhood, mah nostalgia lol" and I get it, I'm sure we all have some fond nostalgic memories of our childhood and all, but I also can't help but wonder to myself: Has this dude ever played Sonic games beyond the Genesis trilogy? I hope so cuz the Genesis Trilogy is seriously overrated nowadays! >.< (No ill-will for the classic aspects or those to like it either but it really does get more spotlight compared to the other Sonic aspects)

Not sure if you got my other ask before but I want to try again cause I feel like you might understand me, I really dislike the Sonic Movie, since not only do I feel it hardly relates to the games but I just dont like fart jokes and generic road trip hollywood movies but it bothers me to see MovieEggman being praised and having seen people saying he's the best version of Eggman?? that's not Eggman that's Jim Carrey

Yeah I honestly feel the same way, I think it's pretty generic and predictable as any live action movie where a human finds some animated little guy and then they have to go on an adventure that usually involves a road trip to escape/stop the bad guy. That doesn't appeal to me in any movie, so making it Sonic still doesn't make me any more of a fan.

If people don't mind the tropes and like the movie then I'm happy for them but personally I already knew it wasn't going to be my thing years back, when we found out it was going to be live action. I really don't think this series works in a live action setting, the Sonic universe and characters are so colorful, beautiful, and cartoony fun in a way that can't be matched in real life.

Also yeah to each their own as long as they aren't hating on other versions/designs but I really don't think jimbotnik is the best version, especially because I don't like him at all lol. He may share basic traits with og Eggman but his way of presenting them is much different and I don't feel he captures the essence. He's still as carrey like as possible in design and presentation, even in the second movie.

And yeah people have told me to be grateful because the movie has made more people like Eggman but there's thousands of people that only like jimbotnik exclusively and even hate on the og Eggman. And jimbotnik already has so much more fans, praise, fan art, fanfics, gay shipping, and ns4w than og Eggman has had in 30 years and ngl it stings.

I've seen a bunch of jimbotnik fans dissing og Eggman by calling him 'ugly' for his various features and also being fatphobic. It still bothers me that any other version didn't become anywhere near as popular as jimbotnik, no version of the character was so immensely popular and praised than the one version that's skinny and considered conventionally attractive. I know that plays a big undeniable part in it.

And him being more like carrey and less like Eggman was intentional, even in the second movie. They're using a big Hollywood actor and they know keeping his likeness in appearance and actions more than Eggman would make him appeal to more people. And it works because I've seen a lot of people praising it for being 'classic carrey' and a lot of the people that find him hot only think so because it's carrey. (which I really don't get sorry fjsjfnskgnskg)

I'm really surprised by how different jimbotnik both looks and acts than og Eggman, it's just wild to me that it's possible to like a version of the character for the exact opposite reasons than one does with og Eggman because they're so vastly different in a number of ways. I still feel like jimbotnik, especially with his look throughout most of the first movie, could've been a completely different character.

And then people assume I must like jimbotnik too because I've always liked og Eggman, but he doesn't really have anything in common with what I admire og Eggman for in design, personality, and actions. Even more so when it comes to attraction as well, as og Eggman caters to my exact type in men in multiple ways while jimbotnik is very far from all that for me lol. It's super awkward when people think eggfucker means I wanna fuck carrey... he's not even an egg lol

[milequaritchsslut]

Jealousy is your enemy (Last part)

Warnings: Arguing, Kisses

Requests are open!!

Jealousy is your enemy part 1 <——

Jealousy is your enemy part 2 <——

The rest of the day you found yourself making yourself busy. You mostly just hung out with Kiri by the beach and went roaming in the forest.

“Y/n if Neteyam finds out you saw Rawpi again he’ll have his head on a stick” she stopped over a large log blocking her way.

Moving a large leaf out of your way you tried to find some kind of answer to her worrying.

“He will not find out unless someone tells him” you gave her a sharp look as you came by her side.

“I will not tell!- Unless you don’t go talk it over with him Y/n” she picked up her pace as she dodged another tree branch from catching her hair.

“I simply will not Kiri this is his fault not mine!” You knew you were lying you shouldn’t have gone and seen Rawpi but you didn’t know what else to do. But you couldn’t say tel Kiri that you were too stubborn.

As she came to a halting stop she turned to look you in the face placing he hands on your shoulders with a worrying look in her eyes.

“Y/n I am not saying that you need to apologize I hate seeing you two fight he is my brother and I feel for him too pls just talk it over- for me y/n”

You took your time thinking about it. You wanted to talk to him but you just didn’t know what to say. You’d never gotten into an argument like this but you didn’t wanna say sorry. You finally came to a resolve as you changed your gaze to her face.

Letting out a loud sigh “Fine I will talk to him but I cannot make any promises of his actions”

Finally satisfied she gave you a reassuring smile as she took your hand in hers and changed direction to head back to the village. As you started seeing the village in the distance you could feel your body getting heavy and your hands getting sweaty you were scared to be yelled at again you couldn’t take that again. But you loved him and you’d do a lot for Neteyam he was your mate you chose eachother for life and there wasn’t any turning back now.

It was almsot sunset when you got back to the tribe. You said your goodbyes to Kiri as you headed toward your shared pod with Teyam. You stopped yourself right before opening the curtain. You got this y/n you thought to yourself. Letting out a deep breathe you opened the curtain to find him pacing around the pod deep in thought and talking to himself.

As he noticed your presence he quickly looked up to meet your gaze. You looked away not knowing what to say. Walking over to sit next to him signaling for him to join you. Quickly nodding he did as he was told sitting to face you. A long silence engulfed the both of you trying to figure out what to say. Fixing your posture you spoke.

“I will not apologize for your actions Neteyam” You stared him dead in the eyes tensing up your face expecting backlash. And That’s exactly what you got

“You need to stop seeing Rawpi Y/n” lifting his head up high. Awaiting your response he couldn’t stop thinking of the image of you and Rawpi together patching him up with that stupid grin on his face all he wanted to do was smack that stupid grin off his face. But that wasn’t important right now he needed to focus on you.

You couldn’t believe his response you were being as calm as you could be. You tried to phrase your sentence as nicely as possible but you couldn’t you just let it all come out.

“You do not get to control me Neteyam you need to control your urges and ground yourself now” you fought the urge to just stand up and leave but you did so much just to come here you couldn’t throw that all away. You wanted this to work out for the both of you. There had to be some kind of agreement you two could settle on.

“I am not controlling you Y/n you are not thinkin-“ “Yes your are Teyam! I am my own person understand that or I will leave right now!”

He knew if you left this would never come to a resolve. As he grabbed your hand to hold his he looked into your eyes. There sat a short silence as he tried to form his feelings into words so his mate could understand his frustration. He spoke calmly and mannered.

“When I see you and Rawpi together I-I am fueled with anger I do not want to feel that my mate, so please just-just try to keep your interactions to a minimum please ma y/n” He looked deep trying to find some kind of understanding in your dark eyes and he did. You gave in you couldn’t stay mad at that man for long. The way his eyes softened after he finished speaking made you feel some kind of way. You could not explain it-it almost felt like a sense of lust and understanding mixed in the most beautiful way. You quickly softened your gaze. Tightening your grip on his hands as you flashed him a smile lightly tilting your head in agreement.

“I love you Teyam I do not like fighting with you” you leaned in to him as he held you in his lap embracing the first physical interaction you two had had all day. He inhaled your sweet scent wrapping his arms around your waist. Placing his head on the crook of your neck as he pampered kisses on your neck.

“I missed you ma y/n”

Taglist: @neteyamforlife @konigluver @alice121804 @arminsgfloll

[mariacallous]

As Shadi prepares to become a mother for the first time, the Iranian 30-year-old is so concerned about her unborn daughter’s future that she is considering leaving her homeland.

“The challenges and inequality we face as women start from birth,” said Shadi, a housewife in Tehran, who did not give her full name for fear of persecution. “The hijab is imposed on girls from a young age, restricting their freedom in society and affecting how they grow up as well as their opportunities in life,” she added.

Iran has imposed a strict dress code on women since a revolution swept the ruling Islamic regime into power 45 years ago, obliging them to cover their hair and wear loose-fitting clothes. Authorities have stepped up enforcement of the rules since the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody in September 2022 triggered major protests across the country, during which women openly flouted the code. Last year, Iran’s parliament approved a bill to strengthen punishments for such violations.

Although the protests have subsided, the hijab has been a prominent issue ahead of the elections that will occur on the first day of March for Iran’s parliament and the executive council that appoints the country’s supreme leader. Turnout is expected to be low, with young voters particularly disillusioned with the political process—a trend that contributed to the 2022 protests. A recent poll found that only 30 percent of Iranians intend to vote, according to the semiofficial Iranian Students’ News Agency. Many are also voting with their feet and migrating to other countries.

Shadi said that she worried about her daughter growing up in an “environment that denies her her most basic rights,” adding, “I want to move as soon as possible to a country where basic freedoms are more readily available.”

Such freedoms are increasingly under threat for Iran’s female citizens, according to women’s rights advocates and United Nations experts, who say the hijab crackdown is creating a chilling effect on women’s rights activism and legitimizing broader gender discrimination.

According to several women interviewed by the Fuller Project, this means that Iranian women now cannot drive, do their jobs, or even have a coffee without worrying about having their cars impounded, being fired, or getting hit with fines if the hijab is not worn—or worn too loosely. “This crackdown on women’s dress code will further degrade women’s rights to work, study, drive, and participate fully in public life,” said Rothna Begum, a senior women’s rights researcher at Human Rights Watch.

The hijab bill was passed in September and is still awaiting its expected approval by the Guardian Council—Iran’s hard-line watchdog body—before it can become law. It would increase fines, introduce jail sentences of up to 10 years for women who defy dress rules, and widen gender segregation in places ranging from universities and hospitals to parks. U.N. experts have said it could amount to “gender apartheid.”

“The Iranian authorities have been doubling down their oppressive methods of policing and are punishing women and girls to quell widespread defiance of degrading and discriminatory compulsory veiling laws since the popular ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ uprising,” said Mansoureh Mills, an Iran researcher for Amnesty International.

Amini’s death, which occured under police custody after she was arrested for allegedly wearing her hijab too loosely, triggered some of the worst political unrest seen in Iran in decades. While the protests have ebbed, women continue to defy the dress code by posting photos online of themselves unveiled or going out in public without the headscarf.

Anahid, a 21-year-old performing arts student, said she was pulled over in December by police in Tehran while driving and told that her car was being impounded because she had violated the dress regulations. Anahid—whose name has been changed for her protection—said she spent five days dealing with various government offices over the issue and had to pay fines totaling more than $110 to reclaim her vehicle.

“Driving in the streets of the capital has become perilous … but I will not allow such intimidation to alter my driving or clothing,” Anahid said, recounting how some of her female friends had experienced similar incidents.

Whether women do not wear the hijab properly while behind the wheel, at the workplace or simply sitting at a cafe, penalties for noncompliance can be severe. Women convicted of violating veiling laws have been subjected to “degrading punishments,” including being forced to wash dead bodies for Islamic burials and clean government buildings, according to a report published in August 2023 by Javaid Rehman, the U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in Iran.

But it’s not just women who are falling foul of the dress code and being penalized. Ali, a 40-year-old man who owns a cafe on Tehran’s Keshavarz Boulevard, said his business had been shut down twice by authorities because his female customers were not wearing the hijab properly. Authorities have temporarily closed thousands of businesses, from shops to offices, since Amini’s death—because either female employees or customers were seen without the hijab, according to various media reports.

Under the Hijab and Chastity Bill, businesses that flout the law could be fined up to three months of their income. But Ali—who asked that his real name be withheld for security concerns—said he supported the protest movement and that he would not ask women visiting his cafe to cover their hair. “I won’t do it, no matter the losses,” said Ali, who said he expected more raids on his business and further closures over dress code violations. “It’s a normal price to be paid for change to happen in the country.”

Hard-line clerics, top judges, and President Ebrahim Raisi have repeatedly issued warnings in recent months to women who violate the dress code, according to Iran International, a London-based television station that is critical of the Iranian government. At a public event in August, Raisi said, “I am telling you that the removal of the hijab will definitely come to an end.”

Iran is regularly ranked as one of the worst countries to be a woman in terms of gender parity for economic opportunities, education, health concerns, and political leadership, according to research by the World Bank and the World Economic Forum (WEF). Although more women graduate from university than men, Iran has one of the lowest rates of female employment and biggest gender pay gaps worldwide, the WEF’s latest Gender Gap Report shows.

Masoumeh Bagheri, a member of a state-appointed team to empower women who are heads of households in Tehran province, said there is still an entrenched belief in Iran that women belong in the home, and added that their role in society is widely seen as “secondary, complementary, and sometimes unnecessary.”

Such attitudes have left Samira Akbari, a jobless, 25-year-old computer science graduate in Tehran, pessimistic about her career prospects. Akbari—who also asked that her real name be withheld—said she was delighted when she landed her first permanent job for an online store in July 2023 after years of taking short-term contracts to build up her resume. But she was fired after just three weeks and replaced by a male intern.

Akbari said she did not know if hijab regulations played a part in her dismissal, but that her boss had explained that her male colleagues were uncomfortable with her presence.

“I would’ve understood if I was performing poorly, but instead, it’s my teammates not being comfortable around women that got me sacked,” said Akbari, who has since been unemployed.