Turkmenistan, according to recent reports, has banned several beauty and fashion services for women. The newly banned services include dying or bleaching of hair, use of false nails and eyelashes, and several types of cosmetic surgeries including breast augmentation, lip fillers and eyebrow microblading. Authorities in the Central Asian country have reportedly introduced the ban as of April 2022, citing the erosion of ‘Turkmencilik’ or Turkmen traditional values due to foreign beauty and fashion trends.
While many are criticising this move as another infringement on women’s rights, several reports suggest that the impact of these bans is more insidious. Women have reportedly lost their jobs or have had to pay hefty fines as high as $140—which is roughly half the average Turkmen monthly income—after they got breast implants or lip injections. “Police take their pictures, make a report, and fine the women,” RadioFreeEurope reported on the issue.
As of now, the Turkmen government has not provided any clarification or announcement regarding the new bans. However, this is not the only new ban posed on Turkmen women. Since April, women in Turkmenistan are not allowed to sit in the front seats of taxis, and male drivers are barred from offering car rides to women who they aren’t related to.
*Image used for representative purpose.