Al Talei , Rafiah, et al. “Hijab in Iran: From Religious to Political Symbol

Al Talei , Rafiah, et al. “Hijab in Iran: From Religious to Political Symbol. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 13 Oct. 2022, https://carnegieendowment.org/sada/88152.

Rafiah Al Talei demonstrates the consequences of enforcing strict dress codes to people who reject them. Following the death of Mahsa Amini, many Iranians created full-scale protests against the regime. She highlights how this is not a new occurrence, rather Iranian women have been fighting for their freedom of rights for a long time. Al Talei emphasizes that this is not an isolated incident, as Iranian women have been waging a struggle for their rights and liberties for a considerable period of time. I will be using this source in my essay to present an alternative view that abiding by the Islamic notion of modesty is not always a choice. Although many women choose to be modest, it is important to address that many are forced to do so. 

  • “The death of Mahsa Amini on September 16, three days after her arrest by the morality police in Tehran, prompted the spread of large-scale protests in Iran” (Al Talei)
  • “Across the world, the hijab is a personal religious choice made by women. In Iran, however, it was transformed into a symbol of oppression and marginalization.” (Al Talei)