Women in Lighting + Design supports the women and allies in Iran fighting for their rights, fighting against oppression, and showing immense courage in the pursuit of gender equality.
In September, protests erupted across Iran concerning Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died under suspicious circumstances while in the custody of Iran’s “morality police.” This group enforces the laws requiring women to cover their head and body. Religious freedom is the choice to wear these garments, repression is requiring it, and oppression is the fear that noncompliance is a death sentence. This enforcement is only one of the many ways that life for Iranians is controlled. The required wearing of the hijab has become a symbol of the totalitarian system controlling the daily lives of the people and more so the women of Iran.
Mahsa Amini’s tragic death, and the protests that followed, have brought international attention to the oppression and disenfranchisement of women in Iran. After decades of injustice, these women-led protests condemn current practices in Iran and call for an end to the current facist regime. Many women are risking arrest by publicly waving or burning their veils and cutting off their own hair. The demand is that ALL the people of Iran have the right to basic human dignity, political and civic liberty. This message moves across the lines of gender, class, religion or ethnicity, calling for freedom and justice for all people, regardless of those differences. Protests have been met with internet shutdowns, arrests, and violent crackdowns, leaving more than 5,000 protestors, journalists, and activists arrested, hundreds injured, and more than 200 dead.
These protesters are our sisters. As they sacrifice everything in the struggle for dignity, we urge WILD members and the lighting community to support women’s rights in Iran through the following means:
LEARN more about the Iranian protests. Start by watching an explanation of the protest by Al Jazeera English (AJE) correspondent Dorsa Jabbari, and continue with the additional resources found below
SIGN the Amnesty International petition calling on the United Nations Human Rights Council to end the violence against protestors in Iran.
DONATE to the Iran American Women’s Foundation, a platform for empowerment and networking among Iranian American women, and currently working to bring attention to the Iranian protests and keep this fight for justice in the headlines.
SHARE this information and spread awareness on social media platforms to keep the spotlight on the brave protesters.
Zan, Zendegi, Azadi | Woman, Life, Freedom
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