The Story My mother loves the regime - my father longs for change in Iran - The Saturday Story
Mar 7, 2026
A personal account of how Iran’s political conflict has split families across generations. Family rituals, wartime memories and competing loyalties collide with fears after recent bombings. A coming-out story intersects with faith and dissent. Everyday control, protests and shifting support for the regime are all explored through one family’s experience.
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Growing Up Devout Then Discovering His Sexuality
- Majid Parsa grew up in a devout household where both parents supported the 1979 revolution and Khomeini, shaping his early religious identity.
- He recounts chanting 'death to America' as a child, attending Quds rallies, and later discovering he was gay, which split him from his faith and family.
Attempts To Pray Away Being Gay Then Leaving Religion
- After realizing he was gay Majid tried prayers, visits to shrines and therapy to change, then distanced himself from religion and family when it failed.
- He later wrote The Ayatollah's Gays about Tehran's underground gay scene and his coming-out journey.
Revolution Turned Personal Habits Into Political Faith
- Majid's parents both initially embraced the 1979 revolution, changing personal habits and identities in response to Khomeini's image.
- His father enlisted in the Iran–Iraq war, viewing it as a pilgrimage dubbed the 'holy defence', showing how politics fused with personal faith.
