Najmabadi’s book, Women with Mustaches and Men without Beards: Gender and Sexual Anxieties of Iranian Modernity, she relates an anecdote of a Belgian woman’s encounter with ‘Esmat at the Persian court in 1877: “In her description of ‘Ismat al-Dawlah, Serena observed that ‘over her upper lips she had soft down of a mustache which gave her a manly look.’” This does not mean, however, that ‘Esmat stood out as a symbol of this type of beauty. ‘Esmat, a product of her time, place and status, was no exception. In other words, the 1800s, not the 1900s, as the meme claims.Ī painting of ‘Esmat (painter unknown) in the Bahman Bayani Collection. Najmabadi clearly points out, this concept of beauty was at its height in the 19 th century. Afsaneh Najmabadi, “Many Persian-language sources, as well as photographs, from the nineteenth century confirm that Qajar women sported a thin mustache, or more accurately a soft down, as a sign of beauty.” But, as Dr. According to Harvard University professor Dr. The only part of the meme that has a grain of truth to it is that there was indeed a period in Persian history when ‘Esmat’s appearance – namely, her “mustache” – was considered beautiful. This information alone, readily available online and in print, contradicts the claim that ‘Esmat was “the ultimate symbol of beauty… in the early 1900s.” Since the photo of ‘Esmat was taken years before then, and she died in 1905, it’s a stretch to make her an icon of a period she barely graced. The photograph circulating is indeed ‘Esmat, not an actor, and was taken by her husband circa the mid- to late-19 th century. The primary figure in this history is Princess Fatemeh Khanum “ ‘Esmat al-Dowleh” (1855/6-1905), a daughter of Nasir al-Din Shah Qajar (1831-1896), King of Persia from 1848-1896, and one of his wives, Taj al-Dowleh. Neither one, incidentally, was named “Princess Qajar,” though they were both princesses of the Persian Qajar dynasty.

At its core, however, is a story of not one, but two, Persian princesses who both defined and defied the standards and expectations set for women of their time and place. The historical reality of this junk history meme is, like all history, complex, and deeply rooted in a period of great change in Persian history that involved issues like reform, nationalism and women’s rights. Others go further and state that not only is it an actor, but the portrayal was done to ridicule the princess, whose “real” picture they include in the comments. For instance, well-meaning individuals commenting on this meme are often quick to claim that the subject in the photo is a male actor portraying the princess. Those who do often run up against similar misleading factoids, creating a jumble of confusing and unreliable junk history that obscures good sources and information. Then there’s the sad truth that few will bother to check the facts for themselves. Taj is sometimes suggested as the “real Princess Qajar” in response to the ambiguous and misleading meme. Dated 1909 or 1910, by Ivanov (Roussie-Khan). The 12th daughter of Nasir al-Din Shah Qajar, and half-sister of ‘Esmat. Princess Zahra Khanum “Taj al-Saltaneh” (1884-1936).

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