Iran Protests: What makes this time different, and why it matters for all of us
On September 16, 2022, Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian woman, was arrested and beaten to death by the Iranian government because her hair covering was deemed insufficient by Iran’s “morality police.” Her murder was so inexplicable, so unjust, and so disturbing, that it united groups of people that are rarely seen in alignment around simple but fundamental values: women, life, and freedom. Below we explore what makes the current Iranian protests especially unique, and important:
1. A feminist uprising for “Women, Life, Freedom”
In previous protests, the people of Iran sought economic improvements, election fairness, and political accountability. This time, the Iranian people are onto something completely different and more fundamental. Their goal is to protect women, life, and freedom. A gentle but unwavering seed of feminism has sprouted in the cold and barren grounds of religious patriarchy with women at its center. Compared to past protest slogans of “death to the dictator,” the current protests put women ahead of all else, and rightfully so. Securing the rights of Iranian women is foundational to securing life, freedom, prosperity, and justice for the Iranian people.
2. Iranian men have committed to the fight for women’s rights
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Iranian men are breaking free from the religious dogmas that perpetuated a culture of toxic masculinity for thousands of years. In a society where women need their husbands’ permission to access education and travel abroad, men are now standing up to fight for the freedom of their daughters, wives, sisters, and mothers. It takes outstanding bravery and a sense of collective justice for a man — benefitting from the privilege given to him by an oppressive government — to join the fight for women’s rights. Iranian men are standing alongside their sisters, all ready to sacrifice their personal safety, in a struggle that is unwaveringly about women
3. Women of the middle east have united
For generations, we have watched political divisions in the middle east become increasingly complex and irreconcilable, largely over the control of oil in the region. However, within Iran, an unprecedented unity is now forming between the Fars, Turkish, Kurdish, and other ethnic groups that were previously divided. The power of this unity has even pushed beyond the geographical boundaries of Iran to reach even the women of Afghanistan, who recently chanted,“ Iran has risen, now it’s our turn!” amid the Taliban crackdown. Women and feminist voices from Syria, Palestine, Turkey, Lebanon, and Iraq also joined in unity.
4. Gen Z has claimed its voice
Iranian high school girls took their mandatory headscarves off in protests and pushed the male minister of education out of their school, throwing plastic water bottles at him as he resisted. Respect for adults and for authority is very important in Iranian culture, but the Iranian Gen Z — like the America Gen Z — are fearless and relentless in calling out injustice.
5. Iranian women are all women
The women of Iran are engaging in a global struggle: they are fighting for women’s rights not just in Iran, but everywhere. In the past, Iranian women have observed and stood up for American women’s rights because they recognize that we are so much more alike than we are different. With women’s rights under constant attack in the United States and efforts to limit our decisions about our bodies coming from all levels and branches of government, American women feel fear and rage. American women must remember that we share these feelings with Iranian women and with women around the world — we are all in a struggle for life and freedom together.
Center and prioritize women, life, and freedom. We must honor basic rights and use these as a foundation for society.
A commitment to long-term justice requires courage, sacrifice, and a sense of collective well-being.
The most powerful coalitions are diverse and centered around a common cause.
The future generation is fearless and impatient in the face of injustice. We owe them a better world.
In the universal fight for women’s rights, the best way to help is to think internationally and act locally. Share what you know about Iran with others. Uplift the voices of Iranians, who are speaking out through protest, written word, song, and art. If you have the privilege of being eligible to vote, make sure that you are registered and vote for candidates who will uphold women’s rights. Stand up in the face of injustice at home, work, and in both domestic and international policy because, in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
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About the authors: We are three young Iranian American women. Among us, we have experience living in both the US and Iran. We are in our mid-twenties; are graduates of the University of Washington and Yale University; represent both first and second-generation immigrants; and work in the tech, nonprofit, and medical industries. We are not journalists or foreign policy experts, but we wanted to share our unique perspective on these recent events to encourage others to learn about what is happening in Iran and how it impacts Iranian Americans.