The Feminine Dress of the World”

Four friends gather for a night of wine and conversation, but a passing comment about the “world wearing a feminine dress” leads to a heated debate about freedom, equality, morality, and the changing face of society. Beneath the laughter, each of them faces their own unspoken questions.

The Feminine Dress of the World”

Faramez Parsa

Mohsen stared at his half-filled glass with a sad look and said,

“The world has changed its clothes.”

Saber laughed.

“Into what? Women’s clothes or men’s?”

Mehrangiz turned to him sharply.

“Why do you take everything as a joke?”

Mohsen smiled faintly.

“No… actually it was a good question. Yes, the world is wearing a feminine dress. That’s why no one wants to let go of it.”

At that moment, Shiva entered the room with a few empty wine glasses.

“Well, of course. The world spins around us women.”

Saber burst into laughter. Mehrangiz snapped:

“Hey! What exactly was funny about that?”

Saber twirled his cigarette.

“I mean, I, the poor guy, spend all day spinning around you, and you credit it to the world!”

Mehrangiz frowned:

“If we women weren’t around, you men would turn into monsters. You’re never satisfied!”

Mohsen got up, brought another bottle of wine, and said:

“She’s right. Imagine a studio with a hundred thousand men… one woman is enough to turn the whole place into a garden.”

Saber took a deep drag from his cigarette.

“But the opposite? A hundred thousand women and one man…

He sighed.

“God help that man.”

Shiva laughed and cut him off:

“Or maybe he’d be the luckiest man alive.”

Mehrangiz filled the glasses and asked Mohsen,

“So why did you even bring this up?”

Mohsen drank a sip and breathed deeply.

“This afternoon, when I came out of the central metro station to get my car…

I saw two young men holding each other and kissing passionately.”

Shiva set the tray on the table.

“So that’s why you said the world is wearing a feminine dress.”

Mehrangiz said angrily:

“Please don’t compare us women with them. It’s embarrassing.”

Shiva smiled sadly.

“The world has reached a point where things that were hidden for years behind curtains… suddenly appear in the open.”

Saber pushed his glass forward.

“Mohsen, fill it up.

Look, equality, democracy, freedom… every human being is born with the right to choose.”

Shiva interrupted gently:

“Freedom also has limits, my dear.”

Mehrangiz emptied her glass.

“To hell with these misunderstood equalities. People don’t understand these words.”

Shiva nodded.

“And what’s worse is the disrespect for the holy book.”

Saber straightened himself.

“Exactly. Be gay if you want… but marriage? And in the house of God? We’ve pushed insolence to the heavens.”

Mehrangiz said:

“We’re not talking about faith. We’re talking about respect—respect for ourselves.”

Mohsen, seeing the atmosphere turning heavy, laughed.

“The world hasn’t ended! Let’s talk about our trip tomorrow—skiing, surfing… You know there’s a four-hour drive between morning ski and afternoon surfing?”

All four burst into laughter…

Yet each of them was still wrestling with their own thoughts.