Location: Tehran, Family Court

‎[The first Family Act has been passed and enacted into law.] ‎

 

A woman, wearing a white Chador (the Persian word for veil) with flowers imprinted on ‎it, is sitting across the judge. Her husband does not have an answer for the judge: “why ‎had he failed to obtain his first wife’s permission when he decided to marry another ‎woman?” The woman hides her tears behind the flowers on her Chador, and proceeds to ‎leave scratch marks on her legs with her nails. She thinks of a young girl, young enough ‎to be her daughter, who is now married to her husband. She does not know how to ‎explain this to her neighbors. She does not know how to look into her relatives’ eyes; but ‎she knows that she cannot live with a mistress under the same roof. The judge takes ‎another look at the new law, called the Family Act.‎

The new law requires that a man, who is already married but wants to marry another ‎woman, obtain the court’s permission before marrying the second wife. The court will ‎allow the man to marry the second woman only if it can obtain the permission of his first ‎wife and the judge rules that the man is financially and emotionally capable of providing ‎for both wives in a just manner. The new law punishes a man who has married another ‎woman without obtaining the court’s permission in advance. It also allows the first wife ‎to file for divorce in such circumstances. ‎

‎33 Years Ago, On This Day‎

The husband, wearing a tight jacket and baggy pants, which is the costume of most men ‎in his era, steps into the courtroom to secure the judge’s permission to marry a second ‎woman. He enters the room with a lot of confidence, unaware that the new law requires ‎him to obtain the permission of his first wife. The new law is on the judge’s desk and the ‎judge will ask the husband several questions to determine whether he qualifies to marry ‎another woman.‎

Judge: Does your wife obey you?‎

Husband: What do you mean?‎

Judge: Does she listen to you, do the housework, and sleep with you in the same bed?‎

Husband: Yes your honor, do you think she has the guts to do otherwise?‎

Judge: Is she insane, or does she suffer from a life-threatening disease?‎

Husband: No, she is healthy.‎

Judge: Has she committed any crimes?‎

Husband: No.‎

Judge: Is she a drug addict?‎

The husband laughs. ‎

Judge: Is she infertile?‎

Husband: We have 4 children.‎

Judge: Is she missing?‎

Husband: No.‎

The judge closes the case and the man, disenchanted with law and the judge and justice, ‎leaves the courtroom. ‎

 

‎5 Months Ago, On This Day‎

‎[A revised Family Act is submitted to the Majlis (Parliament).]‎

 

Article 23 of the new law states, “Permission to marry another woman is granted ‎pursuant to the court’s determination of the husband’s ability to financially provide for ‎multiple wives in an equitable manner.” ‎

 

This Article does not require the court to obtain the first wife’s permission to allow her ‎husband to marry another woman. In fact, it does not even allow the first wife to file for ‎divorce should her husband decide to marry another woman. If this law is approved, then ‎the wife will even lose the right to stand aside while her house and family burn to ashes: ‎she has to stay there and burn in the fire. Those who have drafted this law, ‎representatives who will approve it, and those of us who do not protest it will not only ‎witness the expansion of this home wrecking fire, but will actually each add a little match ‎to its rising flames. ‎