22-year-old Mahsa Amini was arrested and brutally beaten by her country’s own morality police on September 16. She faced these inhumane consequences because the hijab she wore was worn "incorrectly", and the skinny jeans she had on allegedly violated Iran’s dress code for women. She truly brought the dire consequences of the violation of this dress code to light, only trying to abide by these rules when a few strands of hair slipped out of her hijab.
Faced with the consequence of death and conditioned by the patriarchy ingrained into society, Iranian women are forced to abide by their government's extensive requirements for how females should look and act. Users of apps like TikTok help illuminate this issue tremendously through their posts about victims like Amini, spreading awareness of this problem and saving the lives of those that view the content. Social media has helped women worldwide to learn of this unethical instance, causing women to truly rise up against Iran’s oppressive policies.
This strong group of Iranian females has performed many significant protests, including the burning of mandatory hijabs and even dancing. Both of these actions are illegal by the rules of the regime Iran instituted in 1979, a new republic that enforced stringent policies like these. The laws put in place by this regime granted men freedom of expression, but only restricted it for women. The massive chants and marches in Iran speak against this confinement, advocating for freedom, equality, and even the death of the authoritative rulers of Iran.
This government has responded to these protests by literally silencing them, and putting security cameras, drones, and riot control teams in place. Internet access was unjustly restricted as well, leaving the citizens of Iran disconnected from the advocacy in other parts of the world. Blatantly ignoring the beating Mahsa Amini received from the morality police, the government continued to justify her death, falsely claiming that it was due to previous illnesses like heart disease. Tear gas was inflicted on crowds of peaceful protestors, as well as fatal gunfire. Hundreds have died from expressing their unrest and thousands have been detained, a number that continues to grow by the day. Iranian activists that protested for equality have ruthlessly died at the very hands of Iran itself, the country that was supposed to protect them.
These tragic events represent the broader gender inequality that existed before this issue, an injustice that clearly still remains. The irreplaceable lives that have been lost serve as symbols of hope amongst the governments that continue to confine women, and should never be disregarded or forgotten. Mahsa Amini’s own father speaks on the behalf of those who have fought against Iran’s government, declaring that he “will not allow [his] daughter’s blood to be trampled on” (“Mahsa Amini’s Father”).
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