Mahsa Amini, a twenty two year old Iranian woman, was murdered by hijab police in Iran for “bad Hijab.” She was visiting Tehran with her family, they were separated by the police and brutally beaten. She was only 22 years old and loved by all who knew her. Iranians have taken to the streets in protest of compulsory hijab and policing of woman’s bodies. I pray for her family and for all my Iranian brothers and sisters.
In the month since her murder, what started as protests has turned into a revolution. Iranians have flooded the streets of cities across Iran and the whole world in protest. The movement has gained international attention and Iranians have never been so determined to see lasting change. The hashtag #Mahsa_Amini has become one of the most used in history and has become the official hashtag of the movement. The government has responded with widespread violence against protestor and innocent people across the country. We must continue to amplify their voices, tell their stories and support them.
Woman, Life, Freedom! Has become the official slogan of the movement. This is the first revolution ever to be led by women. Iranian women have long been fierce champions of justice and equality. They remove their hijab knowing that the result could be physical and verbal abuse, jail time or death. They can not be stopped.
ISince the 1979 Revolution the government has imprisoned, tortured and murdered thousands of Iranians. University students across Iran have been painting their hands red and leaving hand prints all over their schools in protests to represent the blood shed of their brutal acts. The innocent lives that were lost will not be forgotten. Their stories give Iranians the strength to continue our fight for human rights for all Iranians.
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, women in Iran have lived under strict dress codes imposed by the government that includes a hijab/head scarf regardless of people’s religious beliefs. They are controlled by morality police who fine and imprison women if they do not follow the law. Many women in Iran are tired of living this way and are fighting for their right to choose how they dress. In 2017, one brave woman, Vida Movahed, stood on an electric box and tied her head scarf to a stick in protest. Many other women are following in the footsteps of her and other fearless women by removing their head scarfs and protesting. They simply want the right to chose how to dress instead of following rules made by an overbearing patriarchal regime. In this image a woman is standing in front of Azadi (freedom) tower. A symbol of freedom and equality in Tehran, Iran.
The youth of Iran were raised under the authoritarian rule of the Islamic Republic. They have experienced senseless oppression and injustice since they were born. But this has not stoped them from protesting and fighting for a free Iran.
Because of the 1979 Revolution many Iranians fled the country to escape the new regime and strict laws they would enforce. Our families had the difficult challenge of assimilating into a new culture while still teaching their children about our culture and heritage. As children of Persian immigrants, we all remember getting Persian lessons with the same books that started with the first letters of the Persian alphabet. Baba ab daad, translates to Dad gave water. It has become an inside joke for all second generation Persian children who all learned these sentences and sometimes not much more. It is one of the many disconnects we experienced since we could not go back to Iran.
Before the revolution in 1979 Tehran was once a thriving fashion capitol of the Middle East. Iranian culture has always had a appreciation for fashion design and beauty. Even with the restrictive dress code women have found ways to express their individuality through style and fashion.