Every year on March 31, we celebrate Trans Day of Visibility, a day to honour living trans people and their achievements. This time, we’re shining a light on hidden heroes, the ones whose stories rarely make global headlines. Ever heard of Saman Arastoo?
A Fatwa, a Fight, and a Cost
Iran is one of the world’s strangest contradictions. Being gay or lesbian is illegal and can lead to imprisonment—or worse. But being transgender? That’s legal. In fact, Iran is one of the few countries where gender-affirming surgery is allowed, and in some cases, even subsidized by the government.
This bizarre legality goes back to the 1980s when a brave trans woman named Maryam Khatoon Molkara fought for her right to transition. After years of harassment and forced treatment, she managed to get a personal audience with Ayatollah Khomeini. Against all odds, he listened—and issued a fatwa allowing surgery for those officially diagnosed with “transsexuality.” His reasoning wasn’t progressive—it was about preserving strict gender binaries, not embracing queerness.
Today, Iran performs some of the highest numbers of gender-confirmation surgeries in the world. But it comes at a cost. Many gay and lesbian people are pressured to transition as the only legal way to exist. For some, transitioning isn’t a journey of identity—it’s a survival strategy.
Applause for Saman Arastoo
Since Trans Day of Visibility is all about celebrating trans people who are alive and thriving, we’d like to highlight someone extraordinary: Saman Arastoo.
Born in 1967 and assigned female at birth, Saman spent years performing in Iranian theatre—playing women on stage while privately struggling with gender dysphoria. In his late 30s, he transitioned and re-entered public life as one of the very few openly trans men in Iran.
But he didn’t stop at his own story. Saman founded a theatre group called Avaye Divanegan (“Voices of the Mad”), where trans and gender-diverse people tell their stories through performance. Many of his actors aren’t professionals, they’re real trans-Iranians sharing their lived experiences, often for the first time.
In a country where being visible can be dangerous, Saman’s work is quietly radical. He’s not just visible—he’s a lifeline. A rare beam of light in a system designed to erase queer lives.
Be yourself on ROMEO
We honor the resilience and courage of trans individuals who have fought for acceptance and paved the way for future generations. We’re proud to be maybe the most diverse dating app and be an online home for 18.037 trans men, 21.078 trans women and 16.982 non-binary users – looking for dates, friends, and love, just like everyone else.
We’d love to hear your story, share it with us on X or Facebook.
Happy Trans Day and special greetings to our 1.218 ROMEOs and Julias in Iran.
With love from ROMEO! 💕🏳️⚧️