[custom_adv] On 8 January 1936, pro-western ruler Reza Shah Pahlavi issued a decree known as Kashf-e hijab banning all veils (including headscarf and chador), an edict that was swiftly and forcefully implemented. The government also banned many types of male traditional clothing. [custom_adv] Since then, the Hijab issue has become a deep wound in politics. One of the enduring legacies of Reza Shah has been turning dress into an integral problem of Iranian politics. [custom_adv] In 1936, as part of a Westernizing crusade, Reza Shah banned the veil. This move was welcome by the Westernized upper class. [custom_adv] To enforce this decree, the police were ordered to physically remove the veil from any woman who wore it in public. Women were beaten, their headscarves and chadors torn off, and their homes forcibly searched. [custom_adv] One of the enduring legacies of Reza Shah has been turning dress into an integral problem of politics. [custom_adv] Under next ruler Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, official measures relaxed slightly, and wearing of the veil or chador was no longer an offence, but under his regime, the chador became a significant hindrance to climbing the social ladder, as it was considered a badge of backwardness and an indicator of being a member of the lower class. [custom_adv] Discrimination against the women wearing the headscarf or chador was still widespread with public institutions actively discouraging their use, with even some restaurants refusing to admit women who wore them. [custom_adv] This period is characterized by the dichotomy between a minority who considered wearing the veil as a sign of backwardness and the majority who did not. [custom_adv] Despite all legal pressures and obstacles, the largest proportion of women continued to wear veils or chadors, contrary to widespread opposing claims.