In the modern period, Iranian women’s positionality has been shaped by the intricate interplay of political, religious, and external factors. Afsaneh Najmabadi's work provides a foundational understanding of how, beginning in the early 19th century, increased travel and interaction between Iran and Europe brought about a proliferation of political and moral essays, poems, plays, and novels engaging with themes of modernity and tradition. Modernists and Islamists alike placed the “woman question” at the core of their discourses, albeit with vastly different interpretations.

Modernists viewed the silence of women in print and their absence from public life as symbols of a “pre-modern era” that modernity could resolve. For them, unveiling women’s public presence and intellectual contributions was essential to progress. This approach framed the transformation of Iranian women’s roles as a necessary step in aligning with ideals of science, nation, and homeland. New schools for girls and a growing press provided spaces for women to express themselves outside of traditional confines, reshaping womanhood through knowledge and education.

On the other hand, those identified as “traditional” or “religious” perceived these transformations as a threat to Islamic identity. Islamists, in particular, framed the unveiling of women as a “loss of Islamic identity of the female (and of the community), through the absence of her Islamic marker, her veil.” This stance shifted the “woman question” into a fundamentally religious issue. Najmabadi notes that “the woman of modernity” was constructed through the discipline of her body and the acquisition of scientific sensibilities, crafting an image that sought to replace “old feminine superstitions and nonsenses” with rationality and modern thought.

However, Najmabadi's work, while essential for understanding the historical foundation, does not directly address the Women, Life, Freedom movement. To contextualize the positionality of Iranian women within this movement, it is necessary to look beyond Najmabadi’s analysis and explore the political and social dynamics of contemporary Iran.

The Women, Life, Freedom movement, born in response to the tragic death of Mahsa Jina Amini, has redefined the “woman question” for a new generation. Iranian women’s public resistance—manifested through acts like unveiling, cutting their hair, and leading protests—symbolizes a rejection of both the state’s authoritarian imposition of religious identity and the patriarchal structures underpinning it. The movement has not only challenged mandatory veiling but has also illuminated broader issues of systemic oppression and gender inequality. Women’s leadership in these protests demonstrates how deeply their roles have evolved, from being subjects of political discourse to being central agents of change.

In the Women, Life, Freedom movement, the veil once again takes center stage as both a literal and metaphorical marker of resistance. While Islamists historically viewed unveiling as a loss of identity, the current movement reframes it as an assertion of autonomy and a challenge to the state’s use of religion to suppress individual freedoms. Unlike the modernist movements of the 19th century, today’s resistance incorporates a broader coalition of voices—secular, religious, and otherwise—united by a common goal of freedom and justice.

In conclusion, while Najmabadi’s analysis provides crucial insight into the historical factors shaping Iranian women’s positionality, the Women, Life, Freedom movement highlights the ongoing evolution of this struggle. The interplay of modernist movements, Islamic resistance, European influence, and educational reform has laid the groundwork for the transformative cultural shifts we see today. However, contemporary movements like Women, Life, Freedom show that Iranian women are not merely products of historical forces but active shapers of their political and social realities, redefining what it means to fight for autonomy, identity, and equality.

- MJ

References

Najmabadi, Afsaneh. “Veiled Discourse-Unveiled Bodies.” Feminist Studies 19, no. 3 (1993): 487–518.
Hamidi, Yalda N. “Woman, Life, Freedom, and the Question of Multiculturalism in Iranian Studies.” International Journal of Middle East Studies 55, no. 4 (November 1, 2023): 744–48.
Amnesty International. “Iran: Women, Life, Freedom Protest Movement.”
The Guardian. “Women, Life, Freedom: Iran’s New Generation Takes a Stand.”