Writing my doctoral dissertation on "The Future of Feminism: Where Do We Go From Here?" in 1995, I never imagined the answer to that question would be found in the streets of Tehran. Iranian women have hit the streets in protest, no longer willing to stifle their demands for reform of Iran's constitution and laws affecting women's rights.
According to Dana Goldstein, writing in The Daily Beast, "an under reported part of the Iranian protests is that women are leading the way." Women have clashed with police, been tear gassed, beaten and killed alongside the men.
Goldstein quotes Sanam Anderlini, a Washington-based consultant on international women's issues:
"I wouldn't say the election was a turning point for women," "But I would say women were the turning point for the election."
The world was jarred by the video of a young Iranian woman, Neda Agha-Soltan, allegedly gunned down by pro-government militia while exiting her car during a traffic jam on Saturday.
A 40-second video of her death was instantly tweeted around the world, and by Sunday had become the fifth most commented topic on Twitter.
A report in Salon quotes some of the following tweets coming from Tehran:
"It took only one bullet to kill Neda,. It will take only one Neda to stop Iranian tyranny."
"Neda died with open eyes. Shame on us who live with closed eyes."
"They killed Neda but not her voice."
According to the Salon article, thousands of Iranians replaced their Twitter profile pictures with tributes to the young woman, such as "I am Neda" or "Neda forever". Others posted images of a broken heart in green, the color of the opposition movement.
The footage of Neda's death has fueled anger and heartbreak around the world and put a face on the people's struggle for reform with Neda as its martyr. Her death and the world-wide reaction to it, has helped to focus attention on the larger issues underlying the protest movement.
Iranian women have been at the forefront of agitating for political change for over 100 years. They participated in the Constitutional Revolution of 1906, carrying guns under their veils to help the revolution and were key supporters of the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
Prior to 1979, women made considerable strides in gaining equal opportunity in various fields of work and at the highest levels of government. Those gains were virtually erased when the Ayatollah Khomeini and his followers ushered in a police state in 1979, removing women from the work place and making mandatory veiling the law.
Women's rights have suffered dramatic set backs under the regime of Mahmoud Ahmandinejad. The government spent millions on a propaganda campaign instructing women that their proper place was in the home. It put a lid on the number of females admitted to universities and instituted a "culture of modesty" effort to enforce stricter veiling.
Last summer, Ahmandinejad and his supporters attempted to push through a "family protection law", easing restrictions on polygamy, allowing men to take on multiple marriages while continuing to severely limit women's right to divorce, child custody and inheritance. The law also proposed putting a ceiling on dowry rates paid to a woman upon entering a marriage, putting a tax anything beyond the ceiling amount. It changed the age of marriage from 18 to 9, and returned the practice of stoning.
Women were outraged at this attempt to further deny them equal rights. In response to the regime's proposed legislation, leading Iranian feminists launched A Campaign For One Million Signatures, with thousands of women distributing pamphlets across the country detailing how Iran's legal code is being used to discriminate against them. Many of the campaign's leaders were arrested or jailed, its web sites shut down and newspapers threatened with closure for reporting on its activities.
In a June 8, 2009, NPR interview Sussan Tahmasebi, one of Iran's leading feminists, and a founding member of A Campaign For One Million Signatures, stressed the influence women have had in the lead up to the recent election. As a result of female activism, political candidates were forced to engage with women and address their demands for reform. Tahmesebi was jailed and sentenced to two years in prison for her organizing activities. The sentence was later reduced to six months.
Mir Hossein Mousavi, who emerged as the main opposition to the current regime, has not always been supportive to women's issues, but his outspoken feminist wife, Zahra Rahnavard, called the "Michelle Obama" of Iran, made the status of women a core theme of her husband's campaign.
During the campaign, Mouavi issued a statement outlining his thinking and programs for women, "calling for the re-examination of laws that discriminate against women, signing on to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and working to include women in decision making roles as ministers and high level managers."
Already subject to intense surveillance, imprisonment and enormous bail fines and restrictions on their right to travel abroad, Iranian women will suffer dramatically if Ahmandinejad prevails in the uprising. He is expected be sworn in for a second term as president sometime between July 26 and August 19.
With developments in Iran so dynamic, what will happen next is unpredictable. People continue to protest at great risk to themselves. In a report on Breaking Tweets, Shirin Ebadi, Iranian human rights lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, speaking at a UN news conference from Geneva, has come out in strong support for the freedom movement, calling for new elections and threatening to prosecute those responsible for the murders of protesters.
Some tweets have speculated Ebadi may lead the protest movement from abroad, much the same way the Ayatollah Khomeini directed the revolution from exile 30 years ago.
Are we witnessing the first female led revolution in modern history? The genie is out of the bottle in Iran and those close to the scene doubt it can ever return to the status quo, even if the current regime manages to crush the rebellion. Perhaps in the short term, women's voices will be silenced and the patriarchy may prevail.
But as for the long term? Women have learned to operate under the radar for thousands of years, since the demise of the unarmed matriarchal cultures in ancient Greece at the hands of heavily armed invaders from the north. Patriarchal domination has ruled the earth ever since.
Fareed Zakaria, Iranian journalist and editor of Newsweek International, told Campbell Brown on CNN Monday night, "This is the Islamic Republic's moment of truth. Will they deal with the issues in an orderly fashion and work with the reform movement to resolve the problems or are we going to witness some kind of Stalinist purge, in which the rebellion is crushed. This would be interpreted as a sign of weakness and the regime will eventually collapse ."
If the protest movement is crushed, the fight will go underground, but it will not die. Women's subversive tactics will continue and the fingers of the world will be poised to tweet every development.
Please watch this CNN interview with Azar Nafisi, author of "Reading Lolita in Tehran" discussing her pride in women's involvements there and the impact of Zahra Rahnavard's influence on the election.
Nafisi's comment on CNN last night: "Iranian women are the canaries in the coal mine. If you want to know what direction Iran will go, watch what happens with the women."
I'd love to hear your thoughts about this aspect of the happenings in Iran. Do you think the Iranian women will eventually prevail? What do you think will happen if they're rebellion is crushed? What role should the US have, if any, in these developments?
Please drop by the comment section and share your thoughts, and while you're there, why not Become A Fan? I'm also blogging about this and other issues on my own site at Rx For The Soul, www.judithrich.com. You can also leave personal messages for me there.
Follow Dr. Judith Rich on Twitter: www.twitter.com/dr_judithrich
IRAN'S WAR ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS - New York Post
Iranian election could be test for women's rights - CNN.com
Iran's women take a step forwards | Heather Harvey | Comment is ...
Women's eNews - Iran's Women's Rights Activists Are Being Smeared
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Judith is right to point out that women also played a key role in the 1979 revolution
Thank you so much for helping to fill important points about the story about the women of Iran. I would love to read your book! In my research for writing this article, I did miss the piece you added here, which is a very important point and as you mention, an irony that the revolution
I would love to hear any other insights you brought back from your experience
Thanks again for your comment and your book,
Judith
Show support for democracy in Iran add green overlay to your Twitter avatar with 1-click -
http://hel
I also noticed that Reza Aslan, Iran journalist who appeared on The Daily Show last night, was wearing a green arm band. Let's get those green bracelets and ribbons going!
I have been traveling and just had a moment to peek in.
What a passionate
I could not bring myself to watch Neda's death. i just couldn't do it.
It is haunting to us all, and her death is forcing the world to pay attention.
Thank you!
Kari
Thanks for taking time out of your travels to check in. This double Aquarian warrior woman in me has been activated by what's happening in Iran. I am so proud of the women there for taking their place along side the men, in many instances even leading the way.
I hope you'll take a moment to read the comment from Benoosh, an Iranian woman, who writes of her experience
We know the Sacred Feminine is on the rise and poised to return. Perhaps she'll have to overthrow one of the most oppressive regimes on the planet in order to do it. I'm betting on the women. One way or another, things will change there and life will never be the same.
The Sisterhood Rocks!
Much love,
Judith
Thanks for this depthful, insightful
Light ahead to the people of Iran
Love,
Jason
Thank you, my brother,
Judith
Gratitude your way,
Cara
I'm going to send your comment to the government in Iran. They could use this reminder!
I'm inspired by the women of Iran, but also the young people, men and women, who are on the front lines demanding justice. I'm afraid their government doesn't speak the same language. Our hearts are with all those who rise up against oppression
Thanks to you for being a brilliant torch of remembranc
Blessings to you dear sister,
Judith
I am truly passionate about this... Firstly I would like more of the feminine energy in world affairs. If women were in power I feel this world would be a better place.
Within everyone is masculine and feminine..
Neda represents every woman. She lives on in all our hearts.
May she live on as the symbol of courage and strength and all that is good!
Big Love,
Ed
What we need more of in this world is hearts like yours! Can you just clone yourself and spread some of that love and joy around the world?
Oh! I bet that's what your book is doing!
Thanks so much for your loving contributi
Many blessings to you
Judith
The role of women in this movement is undeniable
I took part in 1979 revolution
Thank you so much for your very important input and for sharing your experience from ground zero. I applaud you and your Iranian sisters for your long and steadfast battle against such suppressiv
Know that we are with you in this struggle. I pray for the people of Iran and know that the women have great courage. Things will never be the same. I am not Iranian, but I am with you. We are with you.
Many blessings,
Judith
I was in Tehran many years ago. I met a doctor and his wife on a flight from Istanbul to Tehran and they invited me home. They were returning from their honeymoon. Their family had a big feast on their return. I had never experience
En'shallah
Walle (Ed) my Sufi name
Following is a tribut to Neda by A world renowned Iranian American singer known as Siavash, Moving song with touching and rare photos and images of Neda Agha Soltan, telling the story of her life and brutal death by a basij militia sniper with a shot through the heart, in Iran, Tehran, an innocent bystander in peaceful protests. This includes a Picture of Neda's suspected killer. And in the end, a call for hope in the face of tragedy.
http://www
Thank you so much for sharing the link with us. This is exactly what we need to do.... bear witness to the hard labor pains of birthing human rights in the world, not just Iran.
I appreciate your comment,
Judith
It's hard to overestima
And it is a very special situation for women, without doubt. But I don't feel at all competent to discuss it because the co-existen
Let's hope that the new media will speed up the inevitable
As to the role of Americans, it does seem pretty clear to me that Obama's Cairo speech was a partial catalyst for the increased hopes and courage. And I think the best response was exactly what he did: to point out that the world is watching. It is.
The context for this struggle is important for us to know here in America. We take our rights for granted. What women are dealing with in Iran and elsewhere in the Middle East is unspeakabl
I tend to agree that Obama's Cairo speech might have been some kind of catalyst, however, women's struggles have been going on in Iran for decades. Perhaps they drew comfort and support, knowing the leader of the free world was extending a hand to them.
It's so important that we all stand watch now. We're bearing witness to an important birthing process. It will happen on it's own time table, not ours.
Thank you so much for always being a witness for transforma
Blessings to you,
Judith
In such moments, I feel like I'd be better off if I had chosen Socrates as my moniker, since his spouse was a midwife.
Anyway, there's really little else I can do other than watching.
regards,
some big fan of those ancient greeks.
(but wait, didn't they wage war against the persians? ooops. Well, as I said, everybody should be listening to Socrates and his wife. Those warriors of Xerxes had it coming for 2500 years now, haven't they?)
Please help me out here. What are you calling "feminist rhetoric"? I'm stating facts. Please read the whole article. I'm not sure if you read beyond the title of my post. If you did, you'd see documentat
I've included numerous links to articles spelling out exactly what women have been doing and enduring since the 1979 Islamic Revolution
Shirin Ebadi, an Iranian woman, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 for her work as a human rights activist, the first Iranian to receive this prestigiou
Why are the women of Iran so up in arms? They have much more at stake in this election, given Iran's barbaric laws on marriage and veiling imposed by the government
This isn't a male vs. female issue. Even the political candidates (except Ahmandinej
We're talking human rights here. I applaud the men who are standing up every bit as much as the women. Obviously, a significan
I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.
Best to you
Judith
If the courage of women facing a law in which they may be stoned and be married at the age of 9 does not convince you, then what exactly do you think of feminists in western societies? Do you think they have been on a cakewalk for the past dozen of decades?
Please update your cultural compass.
Tweets I am seeing say that women are outnumberi
When a man is attacked by the military, a group of women jump in front of the attacker and say, "Don't beat him. Beat me!" Thank you again for a masterful post!
Yes, I heard a news report on CNN last night from a 19 yr. old women who said she and her Iranian sisters were no longer afraid of the police. They'd been beaten already and the prospect of more beatings was not frightenin
I'm telling you, Eli, these women are on the line not only for their own lives, but also for the lives of their children and future generation
Fascinatin
Our prayers to all the Iranian people and thanks so much, my dear Eli, for your comment.
Judith
The women of Iraq were and are reason enough for us to be in Iraq.
The Mideast culture delivered the first scientific discoverie
As a feminist, my heart is with the plight of women everywhere
I don't happen to agree that we should be over there for that or any other reason, just as I don't think it's our place to invade Iran to free the Iranian people. This is their struggle and they must own it. Our presence in Iran would only make matters worse for everyone.
What the women of Iran, and the men for that matter, want and need to know is that the world is with them. They're empowered to continue their fight. I believe their fight for equality is going to have a ripple effect throughout the Middle East. It might not happen tomorrow, but Iranian women have been on the lines for over 100 years fighting for their rights. If they lose this time, they will not give up.
My heart goes out to women everywhere who are living under suppressiv
Thanks so much for your comment,
Judith
You sound very misinforme
I'm right there with you. I was in the marches to pass the ERA back in the 70's. Women's rights is an issue that fires my passion and has for over 30 years. Check out Facebook and Twitter to see if any marches are being organized in your area. If not, organize one!
Also, please check back here periodical
Thanks so much for your comment,
Judith
What an informed article! My feeling is that eventually the female call for change will take place. I believe that women are very powerful, often more so than they appreciate
When or how exactly the changes will take place I have no idea. Did anyone think that Nelson Mandela would ever come out of prison? Or the Berlin Wall come down?
Thank you for adding your voice of awareness on behalf of those needing that support.
With love and blessings to you,
Anne
My nephew married a Muslim. Her first husband was imposed on her and stabbed her repeatedly in the stomach so she could not have any more children then fled the US. She told her mother that she would pick her next husband. They had a joint Catholic-M
I think it's the feminine destiny to lead humanity back to sanity. (Didn't mean to be a poet there). We're the keepers of hearth and home, but we're also willing to take our place on the field along side the men.
Women have so much at stake in this election in Iran. They have nothing to lose by standing up to the authoritie
I stand in solidarity with these women. They're our sisters, our mothers, our wives, our friends.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts here.
Blessings,
Judith
Indeed yes, I'm actually so very proud of these women for daring to stand up for their rights. So much is at stake for the women of Iran. Researchin
Last night on CNN, Campbell Brown interviewe
I know the women of the world are together in this one. It's a birthing process...
So good to hear from you Miss Anne.
Much love,
Judith