Women of Iran Protest Their Way to Freedom
Imagine living in a country where, because of your gender, you simply don’t have a choice. You don’t have a choice to talk to who you want. You don’t have a choice to act how you want. You don’t have a choice to say what you want. You don’t have a choice to dress how you want. And if you went against the rule of not having a choice, your life would immediately be on the line and threatened by those who rule over your entire being.
Well, the women who live in Iran don’t have to imagine. This is their reality.
On Sept. 13, 2022, a Kurdish woman named Mahsa Amini was arrested by Iran’s Morality Policy and three days later, died in custody, according to “What is causing the protests in Iran?” published by The Washington Post. The reason for her arrest? Showing a little too much hair than what was accepted by the authorities in Iran; or, what the Iranian police called wearing an “improper hijab” that didn’t follow the country’s dress code laws. While in custody, Amini was brutally beaten, went into a coma, and was declared dead shortly after. Since then, the women of Iran have been relentlessly fighting for justice, rightfully revolting against the tyrannical, abusive government of Iran. Hundreds of thousands of Iranians have displayed true courage, taking their protests to the streets and leading an uprising that will certainly never be forgotten. From removing their hijabs to cutting their hair, according to “Why Iranian women are burning hijabs,” published by The Hill, to openly burning their scarves, to graffitiing “Women, Life, Freedom” on walls, to stomping on and ripping up pictures of powerful Iranian leaders; the women of Iran are done having their lives threatened under an oppressive regime.
To trace the uprising and the aftermath of Amini’s murder, it is crucial to understand the background of the Iranian government. Since Iran’s revolution in 1979, a strict dress code has been implemented for all women. It entails the requirement for women to wear the hijab and cover all parts of their bodies in public. A mandatory hijab law was even enforced and has been in effect since 1981. Although a modest style of clothing is encouraged for women in Islam, what differentiates the beautiful religion from the Iranian authorities is that Muslim women are and should be given the choice to wear the hijab. It is a sacred piece of clothing that must be worn with good intentions and true love for one’s faith. In Iran, women are simply not given the choice. The actions of the Iranian government completely contradict Islamic beliefs and morals regarding how to treat the people around you—especially women. The fight for women’s freedom in Iran is not a fight against religion, but it is unquestionably a fight against the Iranian dictators and vicious government.
The Morality Police in Iran, established in 2005, ensure that Iranian women aren’t given a choice, according to CNN’s “Iran’s morality police have terrorized women for decades. Who are they?” These “police” arrest women; they see them wearing improper or immodest clothing or hijab styles and usually involve both physical and verbal abuse. Based on “Iran: Abusive forced veiling laws police women’s lives,” by Amnesty International, victims of the Morality Police include the entire 40 million population of young women and girls, starting at the age of nine. With the enforcement and existence of the Morality Police in Iran, the freedom and rights of women are completely barred.
Amini’s death has led many Iranian women to make bold acts of defiance, even though they could be killed. As a result of the protests, many young women have already faced the consequences of simply wanting freedom. The Iranian government has not only made attempts to cover up Amini’s murder by restricting the internet in certain areas, but they have responded to the uprising and protests with full-blown violence. There have been reports of ammunition and tear gas being used against the protestors. In the last three weeks, about 28 children have died from the Iranian protests which contributed to the overall protest death total of 185 protestors.
The true motive for the uprising lies in the abusive government that exists in Iran. A government should never have the ability to control or have a say on how a woman should dress. The suppression of women in many countries has existed for centuries, but because we live in a country where we can dress how we want and say what we want (without the fear of being killed the next hour or the following day), it is imperative and critical to stand for our fellow women fighting for their rights around the world. There are a variety of ways we can help the powerful women of Iran who, according to “Iran’s Protests Are the First Counter-Revolution Led by Women” from The New Yorker, may just be the first women in history to “have been both the spark and engine for an attempted counter-revolution.” Staying silent is simply siding with the oppressor.
Ways to help the women in Iran include: donating (specifically to United For Iran, which helps alert women of the locations of morality police to avoid being arrested); helping bypass internet censorship (through a system called Snowflake, which allows people from all over the world to access censored websites, enabling Iranian people to avoid being noticed by internet censors); joining local protests (there are many in our area too, which can be found at the Instagram handle @middleeastmatters.info); following social media platforms that raise awareness and educate people on the events in the Middle East and Iran; and speaking up on your social media and to the people you know, as a way to amplify the silenced voices.
Having a choice is a privilege. And all women should have this privilege, without the control of men or governments. Stand with the women in Iran and the women all over the world who are fighting for their rights to basic freedom. Women are more powerful than the world deems us, and Iranian women are a living and breathing example of this power.
