Mustaches and Head Covers: Iraqis Mock Religious Leader's Call Against Mixed-Gender Protests

Young Iraqi women are posting photos of themselves with hand-drawn mustaches and mustache filters, while young men posted photos wearing head covers, in a social media campaign to protest a warning issued by prominent religious leader Muqtada Al-Sadr against mixed-gender protests.

Translation: "After Al-Sadr's call against mixing, young FB users start a campaign wearing headscarves mocking his tweet."

Translation: "Pro-October revolution girls after Al-Sadr's tweet against mixed protests"

Al-Sadr called the statement he published on Twitter as "the code for the reform revolution" and included 18 points that some described as protest guidelines intended for the government and the protesters to abide by in order to "ensure peaceful demonstrations".

Translation: "Here we are"

In addition to calling for separation between men and women during anti-government protests that began in October, Al-Sadr called on the Iraqi government to refrain from using violence and demanded arm-free squares.

Al-Sadr's tweet prompted strong backlash from young Iraqis who said that corruption and poverty should be far more concerning to influential people like him than mixed protests.

Some protesters went on to remind Al-Sadr that historical and religious mass demonstrations included both men and women, most notably during the annual pilgrimage season, saying that his call is nothing but a "distraction targeting protesters' rightful demands."

Translation: "In squares full of garbage, gender-mixing seems to be okay for Al-Sadr. Women and men apparently can mix looking for the least bit of food after he and others looted all the wealth in the country."

Translation: "When Muqtada Al-Sadr calls for non-mixed protests, it's a poisonous call that has nothing to do with religion and only aims to weaken demonstrators. A young female protester wrote a sign saying: the pilgrimage is mixed, and Zainab accompanied Al-Hussain during the Karbala battle."

Muqtada Al-Sadr is a prominent religious, political and militia leader in Iraq, represented by a strong parliamentary bloc since 2003. Lately, he has been criticized for his affiliation with the newly-appointed Iraqi government and his controversial relations with neighboring Iran.