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Iran woman gets two years in prison for removing veil

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By ATTA KENARE

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A real feminist.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

There goes the “they willingly wear the head scarf” argument...

3 ( +5 / -2 )

“One exception does not disprove a rule.”

Well, strictly speaking, that’s exactly what it does. It’s a matter of cold logic, not opinions.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Barbaric. But judging by the prudishness of the West when it comes to sexuality, etc., we may be heading in this direction too.. All prudes must be countered as they belie a sinister style of conservatism bent on suppressing others

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Clerical dictators at work doing what they do best: intimidation.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

lucabrasiToday  08:36 am JST

“One exception does not disprove a rule.”

Well, strictly speaking, that’s exactly what it does. It’s a matter of cold logic, not opinions.

The problem is the impreciseness of the word 'they'. Does 'they' refer to a single Iranian woman arrested by the morality police who chose not to wear a veil? Does it refer to all Iranian women? Does it refer to all Muslim women? We need to speak clearly when we speak about this issue because laziness in our arguments is a vice of people with an agenda to push on the topic.

The fact is that we know many Muslim women do willingly wear head scarves, as evidenced by the fact that many Muslim women choose to do so in communities where it is not required by law. The reasons those women have for choosing to wear head scarves would presumably still apply to some number of women in Iran, so we have no reason to believe that every woman in Iran would not choose to wear a head scarf if it wasn't required. But obviously not every woman in Iran chooses to wear a head scarf if some are getting arrested for not wearing one. So the only solution is to recognize that women in Iran are just as complicated as people elsewhere, and that they don't all think the same things, want the same things, or believe the same things.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

It's offensive to common sense.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

That is the law there.

Breaking the law has repercussions.

Working to change the law is fine, within the legal system there. It may not be possible. I don't know.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

"Iran Publishes Study Indicating Waning Support for Hijabs"

The president of Iran published a study conducted by the government indicating the waning support for the mandatory wearing of hijabs (head scarves) and chadors (long cloaks).

The study – conducted by the Center for Strategic Studies, an arm of the president’s office — polled Iranians four times between 2006 and 2014.

According to the study, in 2006, 34 percent of Iranians indicated they disapproved of the government dictating what women could wear. By 2014, that number increased to 49 percent. Similarly, in 2006, 54 percent agreed that women should wear a chador, but in 2014, only 35 percent thought so.

The most recent poll, which surveyed 1,167 respondents, found that 49.2 percent of participants believed wearing a headscarf should be a private matter.

In addition, the 2014 poll found that just 39 percent of respondents believed the government should press charges against women who were caught without a hijab in public. That number was significantly lower than in 2006, when about half of the population believed charges should be filed in such cases.

Even without taking current events into account, we can also assume that the fact that the government conducted the survey most likely that the approval of mandatory hijab and chador wearing is in actuality much lower.

Yet the most surprising aspect about the study is the fact that it was released at all. The president’s office has been sitting on this data for three years.

Zahra Safyari, an Iranian woman who voluntarily wears a hijab, tweeted: “I wear the chador. I chose to wear the hijab, it wasn’t forced on me by my family or the society, nor it was a work requirement. I am happy with my choice but I am opposed to forced hijab and that’s why I appreciate the Girls of Enghelab Street. Religion and hijab should not be compulsory.”

1 ( +1 / -0 )

What a horrible society they live in.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Why aren’t men punished for not wearing a veil?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Many of them willingly wear it. This person didn't

and got 2 years in jail. Now we know why women "willingly wear it"

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Certainly more women wear veils in Iran than would otherwise wear them if they lived elsewhere. To say it is all women there who are forced to wear them would be incorrect too.

I had a job that mandated I wear a tie to work daily. Didn't choose to wear a tie, but that was the dress code. While I wouldn't be fined or jailed for not dressing appropriately for the situation, it wouldn't be allowed.

All sorts of people have uniforms.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

theFuToday  09:41 pm JST

Certainly more women wear veils in Iran than would otherwise wear them if they lived elsewhere. To say it is all women there who are forced to wear them would be incorrect too.

I had a job that mandated I wear a tie to work daily. Didn't choose to wear a tie, but that was the dress code. While I wouldn't be fined or jailed for not dressing appropriately for the situation, it wouldn't be allowed.

All sorts of people have uniforms.

I applaud the attempt to look at Iranian women complexly, but a religious mandate to cover the hair is not the same thing as a professional uniform. When you wear a neck tie, you are playing a social role in society. That role you choose to play benefits you, and those benefits are likely why you chose the role in the first place.

Religiously-mandated clothing for women tends to not have anything to do with chosen roles and instead tends to be something along the lines that there is an inherently provocative attribute of women that must be concealed, or else they will tempt otherwise good men into sin. While those of us who aren't stakeholders in Iranian society might choose not to interfere in their business until called upon to do so, there is clearly a very different power dynamic in play between a compulsory neck tie for professional work and a compulsory head scarf for everyone who has a vagina.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Certainly more women wear veils in Iran than would otherwise wear them if they lived elsewhere. To say it is all women there who are forced to wear them would be incorrect too.

I had a job that mandated I wear a tie to work daily. Didn't choose to wear a tie, but that was the dress code. While I wouldn't be fined or jailed for not dressing appropriately for the situation, it wouldn't be allowed.

All sorts of people have uniforms.

If anyone ever needed a better example of liberal dystopia, this is it right here.

An embarrassment to human rights everywhere.

Here it is.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

The fact is that we know many Muslim women do willingly wear head scarves, as evidenced by the fact that many Muslim women choose to do so in communities where it is not required by law.

I don’t think that constitutes evidence. There are undoubtedly women who do wear it by choice, but pressure from family and community can and does play a role. It’s very simplistic to say women wearing this garment in countries where it isn’t forced by law are ‘willingly wearing’ this garment.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Everyone, everywhere does things they'd rather not do. It is part of living in a community.

I'd rather be nude on my property. That is illegal where I live. I put up with the laws to get along in the community.

That is an embarrassment to human rights!

Amazing how people like to demand their ideas be forced on others because a relatively tiny group says it should be that way in your culture.

There are always some small groups of preople in every culture.

Damn you all for making me wear clothes!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Brave woman in the face of the Clerical authorities. There is a yawning gulf between the people of Iran and the hardline religious police.

They fear choice and one day that will be to their detriment.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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