Reflections of A Generation (pt. 5): Lifting the Veil – The Fight For Gender Equality in Iran

Karen Turner — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 09:14:13 +0000

American baby boomers are well aware of the continual struggle to achieve gender equality in a male dominated society. In fact, Baby boomers, feminists, and other concerned activists continue to challenge perceived injustices to this very day. Iranian echo boomers are finding that their own struggles in this regard are very much akin to those that baby boomers experienced during the 1960s. The comparison is only in essence, however. For the Iranian activist, gender issues are more complicated than the simple bias of a misogynistic (in a cultural sense) social structure. Rather, there are the dual issues of cultural bias and religious beliefs that have to be dealt with.

What is worse, however, is that Iranian women have be subjected to oppressive restrictions under the guise of religion that in fact, have little or no basis at all in the tenants of Islam. What is problematic about this is that while cultural bias can be challenged to a significant degree, religious based restrictions cannot. Because Iran is a theocracy, challenges to the religious underpinnings are not tolerated. Protest of this nature will result in imprisonment or worse.

During the early period after the Islamic Revolution of 1979, this practice was especially rampant. Women, for example, could not seek a divorce from their husbands – regardless of the degree of ill treatment or abuse that was leveled against her. This is a clear contradiction to Islamic teachings which prescribe that women have recourse for divorce in abusive situations. Women, during this time, were also restricted from employment opportunities and it was recommended that they stay at home. Again, this is contrary to the detailed teachings of Islam which does not prohibit a woman from seeking employment (provided she doesn’t neglect her responsibilities to her family). Indeed, the Prophet’s own wife Khadija was a wealthy merchant.

Iranian women have been fighting these contradictions and other injustices since the revolution. Iranian women had gained many concessions prior to the revolution and truly expected that those hard won gains would continue under an Islamic system. While many, if not most of those gains were lost, a great deal of women had nevertheless benefited from the increased educational opportunities that were made available prior to the revolution. This resulted in a generation of educated women that were unlikely to settle for anything less than a level of gender equality that was commiserate with their understanding of the modern world.

Consider, for example, that one in every five Ph.D. students in Iran is a woman. About 56% of all natural science university students are women. Indeed, well over 70% of engineering students in Iran are women. The Iranian government, while not pleased with these numbers, has realized that much of the nation’s intellectual capital is invested in women. In order to compete on a national stage in areas of technology, business and other areas, it is necessary to have the input and participation of women. This fact alone has been a means for women to push the gender equality platform, albeit slowly, at least in areas of employment opportunities.

What is clear is that there is a desire for Iranian women to embrace many of the freedoms that American baby boomers and others Western women enjoy. But it goes beyond just wanting western style comforts; rather it is a desire to embrace those basic and fundamental liberties that are inherent to success and happiness. American baby boomers have shown that equal participation of women in the social structure results in significant societal contributions. In order for Iran to progress to its stated hope of being on equal footing with other industrialized nations, it will need to capitalize on the full participation of its female citizens.

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Reflections of A Generation (pt.3): The Islamic Republic of Iran –Fact or Fiction?

Karen Turner — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 08:47:23 +0000

American baby boomers are watching the events in the Islamic Republic of Iran with a keen interest. In the young Iranians, they see a kindred spirit of social activism. These young Iranian echo boomers, so called because they are mirrors of the reformist baby boomers, have taken their voices to the world stage. Their willingness to stand up and be heard has given their government pause. The Iranian government has long conveyed that freedom rings true in the Islamic Republic. Is this government a true republic willing to guarantee the rights and freedoms it espouses, or is it really just another totalitarian regime?

It should be noted – and this is an important note – that Iranian echo boomers are not fighting their government. Rather they are protesting their government’s resistance to proffer specific social freedoms. It is the opinion of this author that this is the legacy that American baby boomers have inspired. Iranian activists are not calling for a revolution to overthrow the government. This alludes to a hope and a belief among the Iranian people that their government is a viable instrument through which to effect change. This sentiment is one that was held by American baby boomers and ultimately proved to be true. Can the same be said of the Iranian system of government?

To answer this question, one has to evaluate the government system in question. Iran’s government is ostensibly a republic. It has elected representational bodies that legislates and administers the affairs of government based on Islamic principles. Indeed, there are three branches of government – executive, parliament, and judicial. There is even a national constitution that provides a conceptual foundation (Islamic) of national identity.

However, all of these branches of governments and the positions within them are subordinate to the office of the Supreme Leader. In fact, the Supreme Leader has a significant and influential hand in appointing (directly and indirectly) the officials who serve in the other branches of government – including the government body that selects and can remove the Supreme Leader: the Assembly of Experts. There have only been two Supreme Leaders since the Islamic revolution of 1979; the founder of the revolution himself, the deceased Ayatollah Khomeini and the current leader, Ali Khamenei. While the office of president is the highest elected office in the country, the president is also subordinate to the supreme leader.

While this system may seem foreign to American baby boomers and other Westerners, one has to remember the general mindset of Iranians. Most Iranians – at least up until the revolution, were conservative, religious minded, and generally had an unfavorable attitude towards the west. As Muslims, Iranians generally accept the concept of having a guardian (a single leader) who safeguarded the Islamic underpinnings of the budding Islamic state. Even today, Iranian echo boomers – whose parents ignited the Islamic revolution – don’t have a significant issue with this political structure. This is evident by the recent protest over the recent presidential elections. The protests are over a legitimate election process – not the legitimacy of the system itself.

Nevertheless, this is a time of opportunity for both the Iranian government and the Iranian people. The government has the chance to illustrate that it is a true republic in fact and not just name by listening to the voices of the people and taking significant resulting action. For the people, this is a chance for the protests to be heard as it is difficult for the government to silence the Iranian echo boomer reformers International media attention.

The government should remember that its own existence is the result of a disgruntled population that eventually lost all hope that the prevailing political system could effect positive change. The desire for reformation always precedes the need for revolution. There are real social issues, such as the rights of women that are at the forefront of concerns for Iranian echo boomers. These concerns need to be addressed by a receptive Iranian government while the people are still tolerant of the current political and social structure.

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iranian echo boomers Archives - Dr. KarenTurnerPhD

Reflections of A Generation (pt. 5): Lifting the Veil – The Fight For Gender Equality in Iran

Reflections of A Generation (pt.3): The Islamic Republic of Iran –Fact or Fiction?