Commenting on the continued protests surrounding the disputed presidential election in Iran, Pardis Mahadavi, author of Passionate Uprisings Iran's Sexual Revolution writes:
"Earlier today (Friday, June 17) thousands of protesters marched the streets of Tehran, pumping their fists into the air and chanting “Coup! Government resignation”. Some wore green (to indicate their allegiance to Mir Hossein Moussavi) many did not. Up until now, much of the recent media depictions of the situation in Iran paint a picture of a stolen election, and a discontented public demanding a recount at least, and the installation of their preferred candidate. While the election has presented frustrated Iranians with a catalyst and a reason to protest, what we are witnessing in Iran is not a simple protest over election fraud. Rather, disenchantment with the regime, and the desire to mobilize a civil rights type movement in Iran has been building for many years. This election, the overt nature of repression and fraudulent behavior has given many people the window they were looking for to mobilize a movement that goes beyond election politics. The protesters want change: they want to change the system of Islamic jurisprudence, and fundamentally, they want their rights back. While some might see the protests as “calming down” or “dying down”, the reality is that people have tasted the sweetness of voicing their discontent, and they have no plans of backing down easily."
From advocating for polygamy to enforcing the "morality police," Ahmadinejad has women in Iran fighting for their rights. An article in Salon.com takes a look at the women protesters and their courage, from verbal protest to dying in the streets, as was the case for Neda Agha-Soltani. who has become a symbol for the feminist movement. This article points out that though these types of protests have been going on for decades, this one is different because the world is watching.
Mahadavi remarks in this article, "There is a bit of neoliberal rhetoric. You know, we need to save these women, they're repressed and don't know it,' which is not the case. These women are finding agency in all sorts of pockets, in all sorts of ways. We can identify, but because the situation is so much more complicated than we realize, we really can't understand," she says.
Mahdavi's book Passionate Uprisings tells the stories of Iran's youth and their intertwined quests for sexual freedom, political reform, and a better future – but not a future without risk. The young people of Iran face serious consequences for their attempts to change their social atmosphere. Mahdavi's book shows how sexual politics and youth culture is changing the course of Iranian politics.
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