Al-Monitor is reporting that gay Iranians are outing themselves to military officials to receive an exemption from serving for two years in the country’s military.

All Iranian males are expected to spend two years in the military either instead of or after their university education – however homosexuals are exempt as the country treats the issue as a psychological disorder and lists it among medical exemptions.

Iranian males who have not completed military service and who are not exempt cannot work for the government, get a passport, participate in public sphere activities or officially buy or sell things.

‘Afshin’ told Al-Monitor about his experience getting an exemption card because of his homosexuality.

‘Some of my gay friends wore heavy makeup and dressed in a feminine fashion to facilitate the procedure and speed it up,’ Afshin told the news agency, ‘but the officials are not convinced and refer the applicants for further evaluation.’

‘As soon as the first officer saw me, he hinted at my waxed eyebrows.’

However ‘Hadi,’ another gay Iranian who had received an exemption said that being exempted made it difficult to find work even though the card did not blatantly identify his sexuality.

‘Although the exemption card does not specify its nature or reason on a case-by-case basis, the card shows the compatible regulation number according to which the exemption is issued,’ Hadi said.

‘It would, therefore, be very easy to verify the reason behind an exemption.’

Those suspected of being gay will be made to undergo psychological and physical evaluation by physicians, with some suspected homosexuals reportedly being subjected to rectal exams.

However same-sex attracted Iranians would have to be caught in the act by authorities to be prosecuted, so some gay Iranians still seek the exemption from service.

‘Although Tehran fails to acknowledge the existence of homosexual men and prefers remaining tight-lipped about it, but it may be safe to assume that when it comes to mandatory military service, the closet is wide open,’ Al-Monitor’s Mehrnaz Samimi concluded.