Iranian women already have a voice. They just need to be listened to.
On the 16th of September, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in the custody of Iran’s morality police, after being arrested for wearing her hijab too loosely. Though government officials blamed her death on “underlying conditions”, assertions from her family, independent doctors, and other reliable sources — as well as leaked CT scans — suggest that it was no accident. In the days and weeks following, protests erupted across Iran and across the world, calling for the end of a regime that has reigned in Iran since the revolution of 1979. This, too, is slowly becoming a revolution — this time, it’s being led by young women, and they are willing to put their lives on the line for freedom.
In their fury at Mahsa’s death and the continuing oppression against them by the Islamic Republic, women have taken to the streets, hair in the wind, to burn their hijabs, cut their hair, and chant for their freedom: zan, zendegi, azadi (woman, life, freedom). It is important to note that the hijab has a long and complex history in Iran that is not directly linked to religious freedom — in fact, it rejects it. During Reza Shah’s reign in the 30s, all Islamic veils were banned in an effort to modernise Iran in parallel with Western development. Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, the next ruler, removed the ban and allowed women to dress as they wished, though the veil was still considered a step backwards, and the majority of women did not cover their hair. This angered religious traditionalists and became a symbol of opposition to the Pahlavi regime. Upon their rise to power in 1979, the Islamic Republic introduced mandatory veiling. Since then, it has served as a tool and a visual signifier for oppression, a way to control not only how women dress, but everything from self-expression and bodily autonomy to child custody and divorce laws. When Iranian women look into the mirror every day, the act of putting on their hijab is a reminder of what is against them, the danger that awaits them as they leave the house. Mahsa Amini’s death turned this pain into anger and power.
Mahsa, also known by her Kurdish name Jina, has become a symbol for the women of Iran. Historically, political activists and creative expressionists critical of the Islamic Republic system have been imprisoned, exiled, and in some cases, executed by the Iranian government. Mahsa, a young woman from Iran’s Kurdish province who had just been admitted to the university before her death, had no record of speaking against restrictions or the regime. Her death was a wake-up call for many Iranian women: no matter how careful or conforming they are, they could be a victim of a senseless act of violence, made more impactful by the authority it’s coming from. Mahsa’s age and innocence resonated with thousands of high school and university students, leading them to protest and strike on their campuses, including large demonstrations at Tehran University and Sharif University — where some of the most shocking police-induced violence took place on 2 October. These students, young and empowered, realise that any of them could be Mahsa. Ma hameh Mahsa hastim, say one of the many viral chants of the protests. Bejang ta bejangim. (We are all Mahsa. We are all in this fight together.)
Schoolgirls in Iran show solidarity. Image by SalamPix
Young Iranians — particularly young women — are some of the most educated in the Middle East. Women between the ages of 15 and 24 hold a 98% literacy rate, and women and girls make up two-thirds of graduates and degree holders, including 70% of STEM graduates, despite societal pressure. Although the Iranian government has severe restrictions with regard to internet access and satellite TV, the use of VPNs and proxy servers serve as a gateway to social media, and thus an entire world previously unbeknownst to them. Unable to enjoy life in the streets, the women of Iran have spent most of their time at home, online, learning and exploring new perspectives. In recent years, social media has given fuel to movements across the globe, and contemporary generations have turned away from mass media in search of more authentic sources. Especially in Iran (but to varying degrees across the world), mass media plays a key role in the circulation of political agenda, and Generation Z has turned to the voices of their peers to understand what’s going on in the world around them. This is why the movement, the first of its kind in Iran in the new age of social media, is spreading online so quickly. Videos of the violence and the protests, often in bad or grainy quality, are sent to family and re-posted. These videos ignited parallel protests in major cities across the world, with the Iranian diaspora begging their own governments to put aside political motivations and condemn the Islamic Republic’s regime. Yet, many of these demands have been met with silence or empty words, and criticism has been especially targeted toward feminist leaders and politicians who have failed to speak out, despite engaging in women’s rights activism in Western countries. Intersectional feminism is key in today’s ever-connected world: female leaders need to be willing to fight for the rights of all women throughout the world and recognise and uplift their voices. “The true feminists are not here in the West,” said Iranian-American activist Masih Alinejad at the Oslo Freedom Forum in New York. “The true feminists are in [Iran and] Afghanistan, being abandoned by all the feminists [and the] global feminist movement around the world.”
Iranian women are not only incredibly educated, but are passionate, creative, and fiery. Despite government restrictions, they create hidden leisure opportunities, holding mixed-gender gatherings and parties in private places. One study found that Iranian women courageously balance multiple identities to retain their true spirits. With growing support from younger men in the country, they are able to build strong social and intimate relationships in spite of barriers. Their voices have been loud, in key demonstrations like the 1999 student protest on the closure of a reformist newspaper and the 2009 Green Movement. Those who have left Iran have gone on to become leaders in their field, finally able to voice what was silenced in them. Now, they band together, along with both men and women from all parts of the world, to fight for freedom for their sisters in their homeland. The women on the streets of Iran — some as young as 12 years old — are going face-to-face with their oppressors, risking their lives to be able to voice their demands. They are taking to the streets, knowing they may not make it home. This image of loud, defiant women doesn’t fit the common Western narrative of modest, quiet, submissive Middle Eastern women. This narrative has been carefully crafted by the regime and suppresses the rich and complex diversity of Iranian women. Freedom is needed so that young Iranian women can experience the things that give fulfilment and joy to life: the arts, sports, self-expression, and love. “What are the needs of an Iranian teenager?,” asks 16-year-old Sarina Esmaeilzadeh in a YouTube video blog. “Giving love, receiving love, being love, and being in love. We are in need of joy and recreation. Good spirit, good vibes, and good energy. In order to have these, we need freedom.” Sarina was killed attending a protest on 23 September. It is estimated that at least 222 people have been killed in the demonstrations so far, many of them young women and children.
Despite the widespread grief and anger echoed in the hearts of Iranians across the world, there is also hope. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gave a tough warning to protesters on 14 October: “The Islamic Republic is an unshakeable tree, and no one should dare think they can uproot it.” After decades of protests and unrest, that has become clear to many — but young people aren’t looking to uproot, they want to chop it down. Anchored by a proud heritage that goes back thousands of years, young women on the front lines are our future leaders — and they are more than capable of changing the world and they do so with the power of three words: zan, zendegi, azadi — woman, life, freedom.
What You Can Do
Donate to the Center for Human Rights in Iran, or The Iranian Diaspora Collective. Due to sanctions, it’s difficult to send money directly to Iranians, but these organisations work to document, share, and accelerate the momentum of the protests in Iran.
Sign Amnesty International’s petition to end the bloodshed in Iran
Attend a protest in a city near you
Follow reliable journalists and activists on social media like from__iran, Yashar Ali, middleastmatters, and Masih Alinejad
Uplift Iranian voices and share social media posts. Due to the intense limitations of social media in Iran, Iranians are asking Western users to be their voice.
Contact your local representatives and urge them to take action
