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Photographs From The Islamic Republic In October 2015, I traveled through Iran for three weeks. I felt very welcome by the Iranian people and their famous hospitality, but as time went on increasingly more unrelaxed about spending time in a dictatorial theocratic regime. All Iranians I met stated openly and quickly that they had nothing but disdain for their government, their Supreme Leaders, and, essentially, their state. Iranians are far from being brainwashed: They are all aware that their "culture " as they call it, is not normal, and that their basic human rights are infringed upon. Many despise Islam and the way the ruling elite uses religion to justify their intrusion into Iranians lives. The women I spoke to said they hated wearing the headscarf and the hijab, and I was also constantly stressed out about whether or not I was dressed appropriately or my head covered correctly. I was admonished twice to dress more Islamic. I experienced on my own body how the hijab dress rule is a very effective form of psychological humiliation, if not torture. Many Iranians have asked me why I came to visit Iran, and what they implied was: Why did you choose such a shitty country for your vacation? My reply was always the same: Because I can, and because I need to use this privilege to see how the less privileged live. I often felt overwhelmed and shocked about how un-free and depressed Iranians are. Everybody has a broken feeling, and no perspective. There is only disillusionment about the future. Iran is a quiet and very lonely place.