Veiled Threat: Iranian women protest the government

By ?
Issue: Oct. 5, 2009

The first thing I noticed about this article was the lack of byline. I flipped to the end of the article, then to the TOC to see if it was just missing, and then it dawned on me that this article about illegal protests and beating of women in Iran is anonymous on purpose and would likely put the author and the author's friends at risk.

The article gives us a little back story about the comparative liberation of women under Reza Shah, when they were accepted to universities, rejected veils, and had more options; and the gradual elimination of these privileges to the point we're at now, where women must be covered and have almost no rights outside their homes.

The current protests against Ahmadinejad include the highest proportion of female participants, despite the severe beatings and inhumane prison treatment that they know they will suffer if arrested.
It's pretty bleak, but inspiring that people are willing to protest given the known consequences of doing so. Our Million Man marches seem like featherbeds in comparison.

My favorite line was about a woman who saves young men from beatings at protests: "She doesn't intervene in the normal way, which is to scream "Don't hit him!" and try to physically restrain the Basiji [militia man]....Instead, she strides over to the protester and admonishes him "Fereydun! I told you not to come out today and make mischeif! Come home immediately" then she hustles him away from the startled Basiji."