Fatima Benam and the other Iranian women
Back in December 2022, MYP4 and MYP5 Literature plus classes attended an event held by Viva Vittoria in Treviso. An association which raises awareness and acts against female violence. (Link)
Fatima Benam - an Iraninan activist and a founder of this association - gave a presentation to us about the women-led uprisings which are occurring nowadays in Iran, causing the death of hundreds and hundreds of protesters, usually of young age.
Starting her life journey in 1975, Fatima grew up in an era of war, of fear and bloodshed. She explained to us the violations she felt already at a young age, the fear of walking to school alone, the constant fear that the sounds released by the bombs would come even closer to her home. Can you imagine this?
The spark of the protest
As many of you may know, Masha Amini is the fuel which sparked this fire. This girl was killed at age of 22 on September 16, just because she was not wearing her hijab properly, thus violating Iran's strict Islamic dress code.
“She was tortured in the van after her arrest, then tortured at the police station for half an hour, then hit on her head and she collapsed”, reported Amini’s cousin Erfan Mortazaei. However, according to the Morality Police, her death was just by accident: a fortuitous “heart attack”. We cannot even count the deaths “by accident” which have been occurring by then in the country, when thousands of women and men have begun to protest, using this simple but very effective slogan: Women. Life. Freedom.
Born as a Woman? Better not!
As sadly recalled by Fatima, if you happened to be born as a woman in Iran, there are many don’ts you must remember, every day.
Did you have the nice idea to ride a bike in the city centre? Forget about it.
Did you forget your Hijab at home or you decided to cut your hair? You will be considered a rebel.
Would you like to travel abroad? Just if your husband said yes.
Do you need a passport? Then you either need your father or your husband to accompany you to the police station, for the formal application.
Do you expect to have the same heritage as your brothers? No way
Would you like to have a walk with your boyfriend? Don’t even think about it.
These days, dozens of women and men - often of our same age - took the courage to protest against these absurd bans, being aware that this would cost them a hard period of detention in prison or even their life. According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, from September 16 until Friday, November 18, at least 16,813 protesters have been arrested (including 524 students) and at least 402 protestors have been killed, of which at least 58 were minors. In Iran, police shoot students not only in the streets, but also inside the classrooms of the schools.
Would I have the same courage?
By listening to Fatima’s presentation, one question came to my mind: would I have the courage to fight against the regime, if I happened to be born in Iran? Do we, as students, always find the strength to fight against what we consider to be wrong, at the cost of taking responsibility for it? How many times did we remain silent and just did nothing to make a change in our society and school? How many times did we resemble the Ignavi which Dante put in his literary Hell - that is, those who in their life, never took a definite position nor took a stand?
Protesters in Iran are not only fighting for their freedom, but also the happiness that they can’t find in the establishment laws. Protesting is a move to face the fear and to gain the freedom that is theirs. If we want to make a change, we must take action. This is a fundamental lesson we received from Iranian women.
“Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” - Martin Luther King Jr.
Isn’t patriarchy everywhere?
Moreover, do we think we are immune to a culture patriarchy, just because we are not subjected to an Islamic regime?
Isn't it true that we often superficially recognize ourselves as women, having long hair, delicate manicured hands, and a shadow as a figure?
Left to hide in plain sight, quite sadly everywhere women have their own tag: the one to be submissive and obedient only to be led by men.
Men lead, men are strong and independent, they are the ones who know better, this is their natural role.
And then I wonder…Why is it so? Why do we need to assign label and stereotypes to people around us? Isn’t gender itself a mere and restrictive social construction which forces us to live in the prison of a label? A label which, moreover, has been chosen by somebody else, not by us!
When you are assigned a label, that’s all that you are. You live to fulfil the vision of others, you live with an imaginative bounty on your name, which can be claimed by whoever is considerate superior.
Due to all these labels and stereotypes, as a teeneger I keep making comparisons to other girls almost every day. I feel like the universe has purposefully made me physically imperfect. Every evening after school, I need to look in the mirror and remind myself that this just happens and isn't my fault. Due to this issue, many girls sacrifice themselves to follow the men's demands. Men need to stop making these unrealistic beauty standards and instead respect each other however our body is made.
Some conclusions
One last remark, today we are talking about all the women protesting in Iran, however this article is addressed to all women. From the ones that live in other Arab states, to those that sit next to us on the bus on a daily basis. And to those who just resist everyday stereotypes.
THANKS VIVA VITTORIA AND FATIMA
​
​
​
​
-Marzia Faiferri, Nandini Singh, Sophia Sahara Strader