The Women’s Movement and Feminism in Iran: 1978 to 2023

By Samin Ustiashvili

The Iranian feminist movement has faced many challenges, including the divide between secular and Islamic feminists and those inside and outside Iran. However, collaborations between Iranian feminist activists, including those outside Iran, have helped break down these walls. One significant contribution to the feminist movement in Iran was the feminist magazine "Zanan," which featured interviews with prominent intellectuals and reformists, including male thinkers, and criticized their lack of attention to gender issues and women's rights. Although "Zanan" was shut down during Ahmadinejad's presidency, its founder, Shahla Sherkat, relaunched the magazine as "Zanane Emrooz" in 2014. However, the magazine faced pressure from hardliners and was forced to cease publication again in 2016. Despite these challenges, the Iranian feminist movement continues to persist and fight for gender equality.

This book discusses the concept of "Islamic feminism", which represents a feminist voice within the process of religious reform in Islam. This movement has emerged in recent decades in many Muslim-majority countries and among Muslim minorities in Western countries. However, the term "Islamic feminism" has caused much debate and confusion, with opposing views from both conservative Islamic and secular feminist groups. Some conservative Muslims and Islamists reject Islamic feminism due to their anti-feminist beliefs, while some secular feminists view it as contradicting their anti-Islamic sentiments. This categorization has led some scholars to express concern that it may cause further division and confusion.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Samin Ustiashvili
• Release date: May 11, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223066255

Samin Ustiashvili

Dr. Samin Ustiashvili is a prominent Iranian-Georgian scholar and Middle East expert specializing in Iran analysis. With a multicultural background and extensive experience, she has established herself as a significant figure in the field of international relations. Raised in France and North Africa after being born in Iran, Dr. Ustiashvili developed a deep understanding of diverse cultures, fueling her passion for unraveling the complexities of the Middle East. Her career as an interpreter from the age of 16 allowed her to travel widely, gaining invaluable firsthand experience in cities like Dubai, Damascus, and Beirut. The turning point in Dr. Ustiashvili's life came during the Green Movement in Iran, which led her to leave her homeland and settle in Georgia. There, she pursued her academic aspirations, culminating in a master's degree in European Studies. This provided her with a solid foundation to explore the intricate dynamics of European politics, economics, and culture. Dr. Ustiashvili's educational journey continued with a Ph.D. in American Studies, deepening her expertise in American-Middle Eastern relations and shedding light on the United States' impact on the region. Her research, publications, and active participation in international conferences have made her a highly regarded authority in academia, sought after by government agencies, think tanks, and media outlets. As a passionate advocate for cross-cultural understanding, Dr. Ustiashvili plays a vital role in shaping discourse on the Middle East and Iran. Through her comprehensive knowledge, nuanced perspectives, and dedication to bridging gaps between nations, she embodies the power of multiculturalism and demonstrates the potential for diplomacy and academia to foster understanding and cooperation.

Book preview

Prologue

Brave Voices Rising : The Journey of Iranian Women's Rights

In Iranian society's tapestry, women's rights and trajectory have woven a complex and contradictory narrative. From remarkable educational achievements to the pursuit of freedom and equality, Iranian women have defied the constraints imposed by the conservative Islamist clergy under the Mullah regime. Nevertheless, job opportunities remain limited amidst educational success, political representation falls short, and labor force participation rates lag behind neighboring countries. How did this paradox emerge? How did Iranian women manage to navigate these challenges while shaping a feminist movement that continues to inspire hope and change?

In September 2022, tragedy struck when the untimely death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman, ignited a wildfire of protests across Iran. Her unjust demise in police custody for the crime of not conforming to mandatory hijab laws brought the spotlight upon the pervasive gender-based violence and discrimination experienced by women in Iran. The Woman, Life, Freedom movement emerged from the embers, demanding an end to injustice and gender-based oppression. Women and men joined forces, organizing demonstrations, sit-ins, and social media campaigns, rallying behind the cause of women's rights in Iran. The movement stands as a testament to the resilience and courage of Iranian women, reminding the world of their ongoing struggle.

A myriad of factors have shaped the contradictory situation of women in Iran. Deeply rooted patriarchal and paternalistic patterns, influenced by both religious and secular ideologies, have perpetuated societal norms and government policies restricting women's rights. Moreover, globalization and the dissemination of international human rights discourses have collided with the unique dynamics of Iranian society. The diaspora, comprising highly educated individuals and skilled professionals, has formed a critical bridge between global feminist movements and the struggles within Iran, enriching the women's rights discourse.

This short book embarks on a global-local perspective, delving into the trajectory of the women's movement and feminism in Iran. It addresses the methodological and theoretical challenges encountered in researching this movement by examining historical and social backgrounds. From the aftermath of the 1979 revolution to the obstacles faced by the Islamic government, the book charts the path of women's activism. It explores the convergence and divergence of responses among Islamic and secular feminists, the growth of women's activities, and women's political participation in Iran. Campaigns for women's rights, such as the fight against stoning laws and the One Million Signatures campaign, provide a lens through which to understand the resilience and determination of Iranian women.

This book illuminates the transnational and diasporic support that has bolstered the women's movement in Iran. The influx of Iranian immigrants into Western countries has forged connections and alliances, amplifying the voices of those fighting for change. As we embark on this journey, we seek to understand the interplay of domestic and international factors, shedding light on the impact of millions of Iranian immigrants on the struggle for women's rights within Iran.

This is the story of brave voices rising, the journey of Iranian women's rights, and the unyielding spirit that propels them forward. It is a tale of resilience, hope, and the unrelenting pursuit of freedom. Join us as we navigate the intricate tapestry of Iran, where the strength of women shines through the cracks of oppression, illuminating a path towards a more equitable future.

Introduction

The situation and rights of women in modern Iran, and as a result, the trajectory of the feminist and women's movements in Iran, seems contradictory and complex. For example, how have Iranian women demonstrated remarkable educational achievements under the rule of conservative Islamist clergy, who have implemented gender segregation and many forms of discriminatory legal and practical practices against women, and even left men behind in higher education? Why have the remarkable educational achievements of women not been accompanied by better job opportunities, economic and occupational dynamism, or their presence in the political decision-making arena? Despite being located in the Middle East region, why do Iranian women continue to have some of the lowest participation rates in the labor force and are underrepresented in Parliament, when compared to other countries in the same region and globally? Or how Iran has become exemplary in reducing the fertility rate from 6.6 births per woman in the mid-1970s to about two births per woman in 2010, only in a few decades? (Roudi, 2009)

In September 2022, the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman, sparked widespread protests across Iran, leading to the emergence of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement. Mahsa Amini was reportedly killed in police custody after being arrested for not wearing a proper hijab in public. Her death brought attention to the unjust treatment of women in Iran, and the movement demanded an end to gender-based violence, discrimination, and mandatory hijab laws. The movement garnered support from Iranian women and men, with activists organizing demonstrations, sit-ins, and social media campaigns. The Woman, Life, Freedom movement highlights the ongoing struggle for women's rights and equality in Iran and serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by women in the country.

Many factors have contributed to the contradictory situation of women in Iran today, including patriarchal and paternalistic patterns inherited from Iranian history and culture, both secular and religious (Muslim), government policies and ideologies, and influential intellectual and ideological trends such as nationalism, anti-imperialism, socialism, Islamic fundamentalism, and, more recently, liberalism and the human rights charter. External and international factors, especially Western imperialist interventions, have also impacted government policies and intellectual discourses on women's rights and gender.

Another set of factors that have had an increasing impact in recent years includes the process of globalization and the international discourse on human/women's rights, which are disseminated through the United Nations, transnational feminist activists, and new communication/information technologies such as satellite television, the Internet, and mass media. Globalization has strengthened the dialectic of global-local (i.e., the interaction, convergence, or conflict of local-national factors with global-international factors). The dynamism of global-local and transnational in Iranian society has been intensified by millions of voluntary or forced exiles who have mostly settled in Western European and North American countries in the past four decades. This wave of Iranian immigrants, mainly for political reasons, has led to a severe brain drain crisis in the country.

However, many of these dispersed groups of Iranian immigrants, including thousands of highly educated individuals and skilled professionals, have devoted themselves to promoting democracy and human rights in Iran, creating a new source of strength and deep linkages with women's rights movements and civil society movements in Iran. The emergence of a new wave of women's movements and feminist discourses in Iran has been influenced by various factors, including the feminist activism of Iranian immigrants (Tohidi, 2005).

This book attempts to provide a global-local perspective on the current women's movement and feminism in Iran. After examining this movement's historical and social background, a brief discussion will be presented on the methodological and theoretical challenges that research on the women's movement in Iran faces. Then, the book traces the trajectory of women's activism after the 1979 revolution and addresses the challenges and obstacles to the emergence of the women's empowerment movement and feminist discourse under the dominance of the Islamic government. 

In this writing, the interplay or intersection of domestic and international factors, including the impact of millions of Iranian immigrants on domestic (local-national) factors such as government policies, repressive laws, patriarchal cultural traditions, and economic and social, and demographic changes, are highlighted.

PART ONE

Political, socio-economic, and historical fields

In Iran, like other parts of the world, women's movements and feminist discourses are byproducts of modernity and industrial capitalism. The political, socio-economic, and historical backgrounds of the demand for equal rights for Iranian women and collective efforts to empower women politically and socially date back to the emergence of modern social movements for constitutionalism and a new democratic nation-state during the period of the late 19th