The Latest (En)rage(ment) in Keeping Women Oppressed

I was relieved to read in the New York Times about Pope Benedict XVI meeting with some of the sex abuse victims from the ongoing scandals in the Catholic Church. Finally, after so many years, this Sunday, he came face to face with the people whose suffering he tried to keep a secret. It gave me hope that the religious figures of our time are not without (ironically) souls...

...but, then my friend forwarded this doozy:
An Iranian cleric believes promiscuous women cause earthquakes.

And once again, instead of using its great influence for positive change, this cleric is using religion to keep women oppressed. And what's the latest update? Young women in Iran dare to wear form-fitting coats and scarves instead of the traditional burqa, which leaves only a slit showing their eyes. These rebellious Iranian women showing their faces (and hair...whow) in public rather than hiding behind a cloth causes...yes, seismic activity.

The cleric in question, Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi, was quoted by Iranian media, "Many women who do not dress modestly ... lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society, which (consequently) increases earthquakes." It appears Tehran, Iran's capitol city, is located in an area of increased seismic activity and many fault lines. But I suppose cleric Sedighi saw this as a great opportunity to try to shame women into wanting to dress in something other than a head-to-toe blanket.

Upon reading the story, Shanna Bolden, a George Mason University graduate student, commented, "This prayer leader is basically saying that men are animals, react only by instinct, and have no control over their own actions? In that case, women should have taken over Iran by now!!!" Excellent point, Shanna.

On a related subject, a poll was recently taken, following French President Nicolas Sarkozy's announcement of potentially banning the burqa. The poll showed that 70 percent of French respondents supported the ban, 65 percent showed support in Spain, and 63 in Italy. Furthermore, even 57 percent of UK voters were in favor, and 50 percent of those from Germany wanted to see this head-to-toe women's garment banned.

However, only 33 percent of Americans who took the poll were in support of its riddance. We claim to be such a liberal country, with freedom of choice and expression. So what's the issue here? Perhaps it has to do with our idea that church and state should be kept separate, as James Joyner of the Atlantic Council brought up.

But at the end of the day, the women of Iran were not demanding a ban of any sort. They simply want to dress in a way that allows them to move more comfortably and to feel more free in their daily lives. It is disheartening to think that the men who control these women's lives are coincidentally too weak to control their own sexual urges. So who should be ashamed?

Photo credit: Associated Press

Roja Bandari, Iranian Feminist Activist, Visits the FMF

The Feminist Majority Foundation had the opportunity to meet and speak with Roja Bandari from the One Million Signatures campaign for lunch on Tuesday afternoon. It was an immense pleasure to hear her perspective on the recent Iranian protests and to gain a greater understanding of the women’s rights movement in Tehran.

A recent speaker at the Global Day of Action for Iran on July 25th at UCLA, Roja herself is an admirable feminist. After moving to the United States nine years ago, she powerfully and effectively has become a woman with a clear agenda, one that seeks to bring liberty to her Iranian counterparts. Roja, with great respect and passion, is challenging the barriers that exist for Iranian women by utilizing and communicating with Iranian citizens living in Los Angeles.

At the meeting, Roja discussed how important it is for the world to recognize the solidarity and courage the women’s rights leaders of Iran hold. In particular, The One Million Signatures campaign seeks to appeal to the Iranian government to revise certain laws that prohibit and restrict women’s rights. This unique and transparent face-to-face campaign allows Iranian feminists (both in Iran and all over the world) to discuss gender inequalities that exist in their country and their quest to change these discriminations.

Unfortunately, the battle for equality in Iran is truly a vicious struggle for Roja and other Iranian feminists. In October 2008, Roja’s friend, Esha Momeni, was arrested and detained in Iran. A journalism student at California State University at Northridge, Esha traveled to Iran to collect primary source material for her thesis on the Iranian women's rights movement. While there, she also became a volunteer for the One Million Signatures campaign.

On October 15, 2008 Esha was pulled over by undercover security forces and taken to a high-security prison. She was held in solitary confinement for over a month and her historical footage of the revolutionary women’s movement was stripped from her. Thankfully, Esha was released on bail in November 2008, but she was not allowed to leave Iran until a few days ago. From our lunch meeting, Roja went straight from the FMF office to meet Esha at LAX, a reunion that has been long overdue.

While Esha’s return is cause for great celebration, countless women and men still remain in prison for expressing their desire to change a discriminatory system. Roja’s courage, alongside all other Iranian feminist activists like Esha, continues to inspire us and remind us that feminism transcends the invisible boundaries of the world. The struggle to obtain women’s rights in Iran is our struggle too. We support these activists and stand in unity with them.