, a 22-year-old woman from the western city of Saqqez, died in Tehran after being detained by the morality police there this month. As women haven taken to the streets to speak out against Iran’s hijab law and other forces of gendered repression in their home country,spoke to British Iranian actor and activist Nazanin Boniadi about watching the protests from afar, the link between reproductive rights in the U.S. and bodily autonomy in Iran, and how to support the protesters.
Before 1979, a family protection law was in place for women; they could wear what they wanted. Now, women have been stripped of those rights. They can’t dance in public. They can’t sing in public. They can’t ride a bicycle. They are segregated from men in the classroom, in the workplace, at beaches. And, of course, the compulsory hijab has become a symbol of that struggle in a country where women can’t become judges. They can’t become president. They can’t become Supreme Leader.
As actors, we actually rely heavily on the freedom of expression in our work, and I think to take that for granted and not use our platforms to be the voice of the voiceless is a dangerous precedent, because that right could be taken away from us at any moment. And we’re seeing that fight for bodily autonomy here in America; that complacency can lead to the reversal of rights.Yes, I think there are a couple of things.
Finally you heard the voice of IRAN🕊مهسا_امینی OpIran
NazaninBoniadi We are asking you to share the news about what is happening in Iran. MahsaAmini If you care about women right, if you care about human rights, please be our voice!
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