Just Say “No” to Compulsory Hijab: Exploring the Motivations and Meanings of Bad-Hijabi in Iran

Abstract

Hijab is mandatory for every woman in Iran. However, while some women adhere to the strict guidelines and cover their hair and body when in public, others wear hijab only to the extent that they avoid breaking the law, a practice known as bad-hijabi. Recent studies have explored Iranian women's willingness to protest hijab through their social media activities. However, few studies have examined bad-hijabi as another form of resistance. The purpose of this study was to explore the topic of bad-hijabi from the perspective of women who have worn badhijabi. In-depth interviews were conducted with twenty Iranian women and a thematic interpretation of the data revealed that they use badhijabi to compensate for the inability to freely express the self through appearance, as well as to dissociate from messages communicated by hijab. Further research is needed on how bad-hijabi impacts the complex meanings communicated by women's appearance in Iran.