Gender and Sexuality in Persian Literary and Religious Traditions

This volume offers fresh insights into themes of love, gender, sexuality, and the interaction between the profane and the spiritual in classical Persian culture, including their reception and appropriation in modern and contemporary Iranian history. Each chapter is original in its own right, offering perspectives on these interrelated concepts. Together, they provide us with a solid foundation for understanding how modern Iranians utilize their cultural heritage to protest against injustice. One striking example is the episodes from Firdowsī’s Shāh-nāma, used during the 2022 “Women, Life, Freedom” protests. Chapters focus on masterpieces of Persian literature such as Gurgānī’s Vīs-u Rāmīn, Niẓāmī’s Laylī and Majnūn, Khvājū of Kirmān’s Humā and Humāyūn, Feyżī’s Nal-u Daman, and the intriguing genre of Shahr-āshūb (how the beloved “upsets the town”). The contributions embrace the complexity of love and gender in these and other works, imparting precise information about their various moral, mystical and secular dimensions. Together, these chapters offer indispensable perspectives on how Persians have conceived of love and gender, and how these works continue to inspire them in their struggle for freedom, even at the cost of their lives.