ABSTRACT
Iran’s presidential election in June 2009 revealed both internal cleavages and the impetus for action, both of which became visible through extensive coverage in the international media. While the global media seemed to focus on chaos, despair, and frustration, it is also true that these aspects are mixed inextricably with determination and a sense of hope for a better future. This latter feeling, not despair or frustration, was what motivated men and women of all ages and classes to take to the streets of Iranian cities to protest official election results that they believed to be fraudulent, despite threats of government-sanctioned violence. The presence of women in these demonstrations was especially prominent. Indeed, in the three decades since the 1979 Revolution, women, through their extensive involvement socially, economically, and politically, voiced their demands for change and effectively to encourage new policies toward women. Considering the increasingly visible role of women in Iranian society, one may say that many Iranian women feel empowered to make demands of their state and society. Empowerment as defined by UNICEF is the “collective action by the oppressed and deprived to overcome the obstacles of struggle and inequality which have previously put them in a disadvantaged position.”1 As I will illustrate in this chapter, Iranian women are involved in varyious activities that enable them to voice their opinions and effectively to urge the Iranian government and society toward change. In no way should Iranian women be considered helpless in the way that some writers in the West, both academics and journalists, have tended to portray them. They are empowered in every sense of the UNICEF definition. Hence, it is important for academics and journalists alike to acknowledge Iranian women’s collective efforts, drawing international attention to their positive achievements despite the numerous barriers that they face daily. Female role models in each country are the product of that country’s particular culture, history, and political character. Taking all this into consideration, I offer below descriptions of several ways in which Iranian women have been expressing their voice both individually and collectively.
