The brave women of Iran - and the UK’s silence

[Youg]

The women of Iran are fighting for their rights, they are risking their lives to fight back. The Iranian government is preventing them sharing this with the world but we know these things are happening and we should definitely be talking about it.

BBC Video of Protests

How do you know? I have been told by people who actually live there it is widespread. People are defying parents and grandparents and protesting.
You really also need to stop making sweeping generalisations. Each of these countries mentioned is very different. Of course to the average Westerner all these countries are the same. I'm sure you are well read and informed but you are still talking as of you know more than people who actually live in Iran or who have relatives there. Please stop.
Yes, I already told you that Iranians are fully aware of the dangers of revolution and who will get in. They've been there before and yes it will be the older generation who as much as they hate the regime will be the ones reminding the large numbers of youth in Iran.

amp-theguardian-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/12/iran-hijab-law-protest-ali-larijani?amp_gsa=1&amp_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQKKAFQArABIIACAw%3D%3D#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=16657355458561&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2022%2Foct%2F12%2Firan-hijab-law-protest-ali-larijani

Even a senior hardliner politician has come out and said time to rethink our approaches.
You want Iranian people to back down? They won't and they will demand change to the point if the government don't they will know they are finished.
Actually I personally hope they are finished like a lot of people. But I don't live in Iran and I understand why people livinf there would rather have major reform.
But Khamenei and those evil people in power who order batons to be struck against skulls and the worst from of torture to be inflicted need to go!!!

I couldnt believe it when women go on and on in this country about womens rights.
And totally ignore the plight of muslim women living in this country.
Unless there is a lot going on that I dont know or hear about.

@eglantine7

I have been told by people who actually live there it is widespread.

And where is the media evidence to back this up please? In fact, any evidence.

You really also need to stop making sweeping generalisations. Each of these countries mentioned is very different.

I'm merely pointing out the end result similarities when leaders were toppled. That is not a sweeping generalisation.

you are still talking as of you know more than people who actually live in Iran or who have relatives there. Please stop.

As I politely mentioned before, you have no idea as to my links/knowledge of Iran (not that anyone needs to "declare" anything) - its a discussion forum. I'm discussing. I have no reason to "stop" and I would not dare suggest anyone else should "stop" either, regardless of their knowledge/links.

Like I said before, lets be respectful and not challenge others with differing viewpoints - especially when no one knows the background of members who post. I'm sure we can agree on that if nothing else :)

You are making generalisations by comparing the Arab Spring to these protests.
These protests have happened before but this time people aren't backing down in spite of the usual brutal crackdown
And yes you said hardly any people are protesting and you are so wrong.
Previously you said it's only the "metropolitan elite" who are protesting. You are WRONG.
Those teenage girls who were murdered by batons and bullets were not " metropolitan elite" or "radicals" or " wealthy" but were from normal families. Some of the poorest provinces are rising up the most and they are the ones who are brutalised the most. Zahedan, Sanandaj. You literally have no idea what Iran is like and it shows very clearly with your sweeping generalisations and assumptions.

People are using smartphones, social media and the Internet to record protests and basiji beating up and rounding up people. There is no foreign media allowed as you should well know.
But my brother is in London and arrived yesterday and has told me the protests are everywhere in Tehran, not the one per cent you've arrogantly insisted is taking place. And the protests are all over Iran too, not just Tehran. Furthermore if you had any real knowledge you would know that there has been a struggle between the courts, the reformists, the feminist lawyers who've tried to take on the hardliners. This is against the hardliners who are at the helm and people within the establishment want them gone too.
What I would I like to see from Western people l, especially Western women, to show solidarity and support for the bravery and encourage these young people and especially women and girls to go and demand their rights.
It's really not that hard. There is no need for your generalisations and negativity.

You are making generalisations by comparing the Arab Spring to these protests.

Er, no. I merely referenced those by your comment about removing the leadership and stated what happens after that.

The Arab Spring which deposed leaders left chaos afterwards. Thats my only inference. Go back and read my post please.

And yes you said hardly any people are protesting and you are so wrong.

You accuse me of generalisations and waste no time in making them about me. Wow.

I have clearly said, that the majority of the Iranian population is not protesting.

No Govt in the world can suppress 89 million people if they were all uprising - and in Iran's case, the majority are NOT uprising.

Sorry that you dont seem to like facts or reality but as of right now, that IS the reality in Iran and the majority of its 89m people are NOT protesting.

I've really tried to be polite with you @eglantine7 in this discussion, but your persistent nit-picking (and previous name-calling) about what I should/do/dont know about Iran is not your business nor are you judge-jury-executioner on what people know or what their links are.

Again, I humbly ask you to please be polite in your exchanges. Thats all.

Not sure why you find that so hard to do.

To go back on topic, it's clear Liz Truss and this Tory government and the women in that cabinet are too morally bereft and incompetant; their support would be utterly useless to Iranian women. They can't even help people in this own country.
I sincerely hope a general election is called asap in the UK.
For everyone else other @HelplessSoul who is adamant not to, please keep supporting Iranians and especially Iranian Girls and Women. These protests will not be in vain and already progress is taking place 🙌🏾 one day it will be the LGBTQ community in Iran who will have freedom. Step by step there will be change I am sure because Iranians are very capable and progressive people.

the U.K. government don’t want us to be inspired to do something similar so they?

In all conscience, I don’t think you can compare the situation of women in the UK with that of the women in Iran, who are having to fight their country’s male religious zealot leaders for even the most basic of freedoms.

Because it's a futile waste of time. Nothing, literally nothing, that the UK can do will have any effect, what so ever, on the corridors of power in Tehran. That's the stark reality of it.

You are being incredibly rude

Says the person who personally attacked me and name called? Despite that, I've been nothing but polite to you and in terms of the discussion at hand.

It seems you want it to fail or do you just enjoy the sound of your own voice?

Pot, meet kettle....

Hundreds dead...and for what?

If the end of the protests results in no more lives needlessly being lost, then I'm all for it.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-middle-east-63221729
Everyone is surprised by the youth of Iran and they are not backing down and aware of dangers. You can wag your finger all you like but they've had enough! And there's no future in Iran because it is impossible to afford even shopping, even if your are middle class.
Hundreds dead from protests and thousands killed anyway protests or not!
Yes they have a right to do this and I am in awe of them! ❤

So do you believe people shouldn’t stand up for their rights and what they believe in because it might not be successful?

Imagine if everyone thought that way. You’d have no right to vote, depending on your skin colour you may be enslaved, no right to love who you want… the list goes on. Almost every right we have today was fought for by someone.

Exactly.
Mahsa Amini's murder was not a one off! But comparable to George Floyd's murder at the hands of a violent and recist police and because it was filmed by a smartphone and went viral. It has sparked huge emotion and call for change and progress will be made. The BLM movement grew and grew but there is stilla long way to go to dismantle racism and prejudice towards black people.People will speak out and demand and why on earth shouldn't they?! Because its futile?

And like black people, Iranian people, especially girls and women need allies and encouragement.
Of course I and you can't change much but support and enciuragement means SO much!

And like black people, Iranian people, especially girls and women need allies and encouragement.
Of course I and you can't change much but support and enciuragement means SO much!

So do you believe people shouldn’t stand up for their rights and what they believe in because it might not be successful?

Not at all - 100% supportive of anyone/gender/race standing up for their human rights.

However, such uprisings in other places (Libya, Saudi, Bahrain, Egypt, Yemen Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan et al) have left women even more bereft than the system they opposed.

No questions Mahsa's brutal murder is unforgiveable - but hundreds more have since died and for what?

What do you mean for what??
It is very difficult to be polite with you. The things you say are ridiculous and you have no empathy let alone understanding of how people there feel and what life is like. All you say is Saudia Arabia, Arab Spring, Metropolitan elite ... no idea what you are saying.

@HelplessSoul perhaps you should move to Iran, marry a hard-line Iranian politician and see how much you enjoy life.

About Nasrin Soutedeh, she's a heroic, incredibly inspiring woman and the feminist struggle had been an ongoing one in Iran. There are many more like her, including Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Peace Price winner. I bumped into her in a supermarket. She has been in exile since after the 2009 protests.

Ways you can help the women and girls of Iran;

www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/jina-mahsa-amini-death-what-to-do/

Extract from the Guardian: (which is otherwise behind a paywall it seems)

uk.yahoo.com/news/iran-youthful-protests-stoke-uncertainty-131255757.html

"One reason for the uncertainty is that the regime believes these leaderless protests will peter out. They claim only 80,000 have been out on the street, and that the protesters lack the critical mass to create a revolution or a leader overseas – an assessment shared in most western capitals..."

Of course the regime is saying that 🙄
They're not likely to admit that the protesters have a chance are they?

Please read the important bit which is:

...an assessment shared in most western capitals...

🙄