Calling for Fair Society: The Perspectives of Iranian Feminists and Women Activists in Light of ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’
摘要
Iran has complex gender politics which influences the way women defend women’s rights and define a fair society. This chapter examines the different perspectives that Iranian feminists and women’s rights activists, including secular, religious reformist and conservative activists, have on human rights and their visions for a fair society. While several studies have highlighted the perspectives of women’s rights among secular and religious reformist women [e.g. Hoodfar & Sadr, Third World Quarterly, 31(6), 885–903 (2010); Mir-Hosseini, Islam and Gender: The Religious Debate in Contemporary Iran. Princeton University Press (2021); Tavassoli & Teo, Inter-Asia Cultural Studies, 22(1), 49–66 (2021)], existing research has not yet addressed the views of Iranian feminists and women’s rights activists about human rights and an egalitarian society in the light of the recent feminist uprising ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ (WLF). However, this study assesses these views in detail among secular and religious reformists, as well as conservative women’s activists in light of the WLF. Examining the characteristics and views of conservative women is significant as research to date has prominently focused on secular and religious reformist women rather than conservative women’s activists. Hence, this chapter explores these issues, drawing upon 47 semi-structured interviews with Iranian feminists and women’s rights activists. Using an intersectional approach, this chapter highlights how women’s self-identification, class, religion and political positioning shape their aspirations for human rights and perspectives of a fair society in Iran. This chapter concludes that the main goals of WLF build upon earlier views and demands of secular feminists on human rights and fairness. Also, there is a link between women’s self-identification, class, religion and political positioning and their aspiration for a fair society.