Music festival in Baghdad

Though there were only a few young women among the 1,000 or so revellers, their presence was notable in a country where public spaces remain conservative.”I love this type of music,” said Layan, a 19-year-old woman in a leather black top and full makeup.”I hear a lot of people say that we’re influenced by the West. Fine, there’s no difference to me — the important thing is I don’t have to listen to this music at home in secret anymore,” she said, pumping her fist into the air.