Wednesdays of Women Who Resist

The fate of those who say, "Is it just about these two strands of hair?" was made clear by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini at the very beginning of the revolution; when the page of "Islamic Republic" had not yet been opened in the history of Iran, and only 24 days had passed since the fall of the Pahlavi regime, on March 6, 1979, he stated: "Islamic women must go out with Islamic hijab. Not that they should adorn themselves. Women are still working in offices as before. Women must change their situation." With these words, compulsory hijab was registered as the first limitation that cast a shadow over Iran following the 1979 revolution, and the large gathering of women in response to this limitation became the first protest gathering after the revolution. Hijab has always been an "issue"; from the time it was banned to when it was optional and later mandatory; from the early days of the revolution to today, when its form and appearance in society have repeatedly transformed, making the feminine appearance of the city bear little resemblance to that dark-colored veil. Over all these years, many Iranian women have continued their efforts to push back against clothing restrictions. One of the latest efforts of this kind is manifested in a campaign called "White Wednesdays," where women who have joined it wear white every week in opposition to mandatory dress codes; a campaign that has its opponents on both sides. Supporters say it is a symbolic movement to resist compulsion. A range of traditional opponents say it is law-breaking and a rebellion against religious law, while another group of opponents from a pathological perspective argue that it reduces the struggle and creates a false sense of satisfaction from a movement that has no tangible results. Is the goal to fight against hijab or against the compulsion of hijab? Is hijab a guarantee of "security" and "happiness" for society and "moral health" or merely a binding imposed by a historically patriarchal system? In this program, we hear from women who have wanted to say "no" to compulsory hijab in Iran, as well as from their critics. Additionally, Masih Alinejad, a journalist and designer of the Women’s Quiet Freedom campaign and White Wednesdays, who are active against compulsory hijab, is with us.