Iranian anti-hijab movement take to the streets after death of Mahsa Amini, victim of the Iranian morality police.
By:Jessica Schultz Pleasant
On September 16, 2022, an all too common horrific tale played out in Iran. The Iranian Guidance Patrol, Iran’s morality police, arrested Mahsa Amini for wearing her clothing incorrectly. Later, while in custody, she collapsed to the floor and was subsequently declared dead. Officials claimed she had a cardiac condition, while her family received word Amini was harassed and battered.
(Photocredit: IRANWIRE/VIA Reuters)
Amini was from a northwester Kurdish city named Saqez. According to The Jerusalem Post, two sources close to the family described Amini as apolitical. This is often seen as a wise way to stay off the radar of authorities known to abuse their power. Yet, it found its way to Amini and she passed away likely due to mistreatment. She was taken to the hospital and placed on life support before passing away September 16.
Amini’s crime was for wearing pants too form fitting. This is just one more example of morality policing. Clothing is used to control the. Due to the oppressive nature, women of Iran have opposed the wearing of the hijab as well. To not wear your clothing correctly, maybe innocently, can lead to arrests.
According to EuroNews, Mark Armstrong with Associated Press, reports, “The organizers of the latest protests say rallies have been held in 150 cities worldwide, including the Chilean capital Santiago, London, Tokyo and San Francisco.” Many Amini supporters across the world are Iranian exiles that already fled Iranian oppression.
Iran is a theocracy; a government that uses religious laws for government regulations and distributing justice. A hijab is a scarf used to cover women within the Islamic faith. Not all Muslim countries keep the same standard. Some states expect full covering of women, called a burqa. While a different countries may allow the wearing of a shayla, a head scarf wrapping, or many not have any hijab enforcement. If you’re a woman traveler, not knowing laws population of other countries can mean the difference between life and death.
For historical reference leading to Amini’s death, in 1979, Iran experienced the Iranian Revolution. What was a fight for self governess, led to the mandatory dress code for women. Within months, post the revolution, in 1980, Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini declared all women not wearing a hijab would not be allowed to operate in society; within schools and impacted employment. He called women shamefully “naked” if they exposed themselves to men around them. Their bodies accused for the temptations of men.
By 1983, Iran introduced a penal code making it a crime not to properly wear a hijab, due to the Iranian politicians interpretation of religious Islamic text. The code stated, “women who appear in public without religious hijab will be sentenced to whipping up to 74 lashes". According to Khomeini, a woman not wearing a hijab would be as if she were “naked” in public.
In 1979, Iranian women did not stay silent. In response to the hijab law, women took to the streets for what is known today as the Iranian Women’s Day. Harsh enforcement was used to intimidate the women into silence and compliance. Generations have now experienced this oppression, many have known no other life than under the hijab laws.
1979 Iranian Women Day's protests against mandatory hijab laws
Amini was from a northwester Kurdish city named Saqez. According to The Jerusalem Post, two sources close to the family described Amini as apolitical. This is often seen as a wise way to stay off the radar of authorities known to abuse their power. Yet, it found its way to Amini and she passed away likely due to mistreatment. She was taken to the hospital and placed on life support before passing away September 16.
Amini’s crime was for wearing pants too form fitting. This is just one more example of morality policing. Clothing is used to control the. Due to the oppressive nature, women of Iran have opposed the wearing of the hijab as well. To not wear your clothing correctly, maybe innocently, can lead to arrests.
According to EuroNews, Mark Armstrong with Associated Press, reports, “The organizers of the latest protests say rallies have been held in 150 cities worldwide, including the Chilean capital Santiago, London, Tokyo and San Francisco.” Many Amini supporters across the world are Iranian exiles that already fled Iranian oppression.
Iran is a theocracy; a government that uses religious laws for government regulations and distributing justice. A hijab is a scarf used to cover women within the Islamic faith. Not all Muslim countries keep the same standard. Some states expect full covering of women, called a burqa. While a different countries may allow the wearing of a shayla, a head scarf wrapping, or many not have any hijab enforcement. If you’re a woman traveler, not knowing laws population of other countries can mean the difference between life and death.
For historical reference leading to Amini’s death, in 1979, Iran experienced the Iranian Revolution. What was a fight for self governess, led to the mandatory dress code for women. Within months, post the revolution, in 1980, Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini declared all women not wearing a hijab would not be allowed to operate in society; within schools and impacted employment. He called women shamefully “naked” if they exposed themselves to men around them. Their bodies accused for the temptations of men.
By 1983, Iran introduced a penal code making it a crime not to properly wear a hijab, due to the Iranian politicians interpretation of religious Islamic text. The code stated, “women who appear in public without religious hijab will be sentenced to whipping up to 74 lashes". According to Khomeini, a woman not wearing a hijab would be as if she were “naked” in public.
In 1979, Iranian women did not stay silent. In response to the hijab law, women took to the streets for what is known today as the Iranian Women’s Day. Harsh enforcement was used to intimidate the women into silence and compliance. Generations have now experienced this oppression, many have known no other life than under the hijab laws.
Masih Alinejad, a female Iranian journalist, in exile, was invited as a guest on many news channels following the death of Amini. In an interview with The New Yorker, Alinejad “…likened the hijab requirement to the Berlin Wall. “If we bring it down, the entire system will collapse.”
She questions the reasoning for the hijab. She recognizes the purpose of covering is not so much about the shaming of being a woman, but the belief men are sexually uncontrollable. Alinejad asks if men are offended with the premise that all men are sexual predators.
Alinejad has a valid observation. Governments are often ran by politicians using the most extreme policies as a rallying point. The American democrats have created a religion where abortion holds the collective together.Without abortion politics the Left would have to run on other ideas. The strict adherence to the Berlin Wall, hijabs, and abortion on demand would be examples of political discourse. If the people revolt it can tear out the entire foundation from under a political party. Inevitably exposing the negligence and incompetence of the party holding those ideals.
In Iran, Amini’s death has been a flash point. Add the additional economic environment and you have yourself a revolution. Iraqi and Iranian Islamic women are part of a mass protest across the world. Women from all walks of life took to the streets to show solidarity. CBS Boston news reported hundreds of citizens at the State House of Boston, USA,
Today’s Iranian Leader, Ali Khamenei, is seen as inciting the violent protests with his response of force and intimidation of the protesters. At the same time the Iranian government denies wrong doing in the death of the young Amini. Khamenei’s intolerance for anti-hijab protests shows with the violent response toward the protesters.
Khamenei validates his force by labeling the protesters as terrorists. His political rhetoric includes the anti-hijab movement as a “grand sedition”. (Very much like how the American democrats call the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement voters are called seditioninsts)..If Khamenei were to bend to the pressure, he fear it could lead to more demands for change. Journalist Alinejad points out if the hijab law falls then the oppressive regime will fall. This would make waves such as the fall of the Berlin Wall.
According to Foreign Policy writer Vatanka:
“The violence that led to Amini’s death was not accidental. It is part and parcel of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s attitude toward any political dissent. He continues to believe that violent repression will drive protesters to retreat. But his policy choices are only deepening raw public anger against the Islamic Republic. Not only is Khamenei inciting the Iranian people against the regime, but his insistence on mandatory hijab-wearing is splitting the Islamic clerical class.”
The hijab protests are finding success in dividing the clerical class. Khamenei fears other regions in Iran would demand more from him if he were to meet the demands of the people. To prevent a precedence for demands being met, Khamenei opted for the heavy hand of sedition accusations for those who are anti-hijab.
The women weren’t alone. Side by side with men. Men who are tired of the inequality, government abuses, and bad economic policies. The world has the technology to learn about other cultures and countries. The Western Culture has influenced the world with the idea of human rights. The youth in Islamic countries appear to want a more democratic policy, and to be respected as fully human. A taste of freedom is not easily forgotten. It is the bad and the path to it that we too often forget.
Sources:
Vatanka, Alex. What the hijab protests mean for Iran’s Clerical Class. Foreign Policy. 23 September 2022. Retrieved from, https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/09/23/iran-hijab-protests-regime-reform-islamist-tehran-khamenei/
Reuters. Who was Mahsa Amini, whose death sparked Iran protests? The Jerusalem Post, 28 September 2022. Retrieved from https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-718359
Armstrong, Mark. Solidarity with Iran as worldwide protests staged over death of Mahsa Amini. EuroNews. 10 January 2022. Retrieved from https://www.euronews.com/2022/10/01/solidarity-with-iran-as-worldwide-protests-staged-over-death-of-mahsa-amini?fbclid=IwAR3TmcWhS1qGuyRKZAhWK4TXmPF9V8UcRLhKHP1zaYwwvQdSIyBRCVk9Iss
She questions the reasoning for the hijab. She recognizes the purpose of covering is not so much about the shaming of being a woman, but the belief men are sexually uncontrollable. Alinejad asks if men are offended with the premise that all men are sexual predators.
Alinejad has a valid observation. Governments are often ran by politicians using the most extreme policies as a rallying point. The American democrats have created a religion where abortion holds the collective together.Without abortion politics the Left would have to run on other ideas. The strict adherence to the Berlin Wall, hijabs, and abortion on demand would be examples of political discourse. If the people revolt it can tear out the entire foundation from under a political party. Inevitably exposing the negligence and incompetence of the party holding those ideals.
In Iran, Amini’s death has been a flash point. Add the additional economic environment and you have yourself a revolution. Iraqi and Iranian Islamic women are part of a mass protest across the world. Women from all walks of life took to the streets to show solidarity. CBS Boston news reported hundreds of citizens at the State House of Boston, USA,
Today’s Iranian Leader, Ali Khamenei, is seen as inciting the violent protests with his response of force and intimidation of the protesters. At the same time the Iranian government denies wrong doing in the death of the young Amini. Khamenei’s intolerance for anti-hijab protests shows with the violent response toward the protesters.
Khamenei validates his force by labeling the protesters as terrorists. His political rhetoric includes the anti-hijab movement as a “grand sedition”. (Very much like how the American democrats call the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement voters are called seditioninsts)..If Khamenei were to bend to the pressure, he fear it could lead to more demands for change. Journalist Alinejad points out if the hijab law falls then the oppressive regime will fall. This would make waves such as the fall of the Berlin Wall.
According to Foreign Policy writer Vatanka:
“The violence that led to Amini’s death was not accidental. It is part and parcel of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s attitude toward any political dissent. He continues to believe that violent repression will drive protesters to retreat. But his policy choices are only deepening raw public anger against the Islamic Republic. Not only is Khamenei inciting the Iranian people against the regime, but his insistence on mandatory hijab-wearing is splitting the Islamic clerical class.”
The hijab protests are finding success in dividing the clerical class. Khamenei fears other regions in Iran would demand more from him if he were to meet the demands of the people. To prevent a precedence for demands being met, Khamenei opted for the heavy hand of sedition accusations for those who are anti-hijab.
The women weren’t alone. Side by side with men. Men who are tired of the inequality, government abuses, and bad economic policies. The world has the technology to learn about other cultures and countries. The Western Culture has influenced the world with the idea of human rights. The youth in Islamic countries appear to want a more democratic policy, and to be respected as fully human. A taste of freedom is not easily forgotten. It is the bad and the path to it that we too often forget.
Sources:
Vatanka, Alex. What the hijab protests mean for Iran’s Clerical Class. Foreign Policy. 23 September 2022. Retrieved from, https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/09/23/iran-hijab-protests-regime-reform-islamist-tehran-khamenei/
Reuters. Who was Mahsa Amini, whose death sparked Iran protests? The Jerusalem Post, 28 September 2022. Retrieved from https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-718359
Armstrong, Mark. Solidarity with Iran as worldwide protests staged over death of Mahsa Amini. EuroNews. 10 January 2022. Retrieved from https://www.euronews.com/2022/10/01/solidarity-with-iran-as-worldwide-protests-staged-over-death-of-mahsa-amini?fbclid=IwAR3TmcWhS1qGuyRKZAhWK4TXmPF9V8UcRLhKHP1zaYwwvQdSIyBRCVk9Iss
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