The rights of Middle Eastern women have always been a controversial issue. Although the women of Iran enjoy more rights than those of other Middle Eastern countries, they are still not equal to those of men. Women have very little involvement in the social, political, and cultural aspects of their daily lives. Everything women do is controlled by some sort of law and is subject to severe punishment. Under Iranian law, men are still favored and it mainly a patriarchal society where women are treated as half of a man. The question at hand is whether the treatment of women in Iran is sexist or a religious tradition. This paper will focus on the role of women in the Iranian society and how it relates to religion, government, and patriarchal traditions.
The main religion in Iran is Islam. Islam is divided into two different groups - the Sunnis and the Shi'ites. About 96% of the Iranian population is part of the Shi'ites. They follow the Koran, which is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims believe to be a revelation from God. The Koran can be interpreted as saying that men and women are spiritually equal. It follows the lives of the Prophet Mohammed and the twelve Shi'ite Imams. In addition, there is the figure of Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad. She is the wife of the first Imam and the progenitor of the other Imams. She completes the Fourteen Immaculates in Shi'ite mystical philosophy. Having a female figure among the Fourteen Immaculates added an element of the "sacred feminine"" to Shi'ite cosmetology. Fatema has been compared to Mary in Catholic and Orthodox Christianity (Momen). If religion isn't causing the issue of the status of women, then what is?.
During the reign of Reza Pahlavi "the Shah of Iran "and the rule of his son Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, women's rights reached new heights and many legal barriers obstructing women's rights were dismantled. Since the Revolution of 1979 overthrew Shah Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, women are not considered equal under the constitution that has been adopted (Keddie).
This quote demonstrates that men think poorly of women in Iran. ... Iranian women actually many more rights and freedoms than some other countries in the Middle East. ... Women of Iran do not own the clothes that they wear. ... Iranian women have also been pushed out of the work force. ... In Iran, the women have arranged marriages. ...
However, if one reads the Judeo-Christian, Greek and Iranian myths of creation closely, one will find that in no case is mankind responsible for the evil in the world. ... The next example of women being seen as evil is in Iranian mythology. ... It is Johi that personified the evil found in women. ... The Iranian creation myth is unique in its treatment to women, because the myth says that Johi was the "source" and therefore not the cause of evil. ... In the Iranian myth there is question as to whether women are the source of evil. ...
This was to launch major changes from an Iran that had no serious public educational system, few roads, no railroad, and very little reform in the position of women, and was dependent on the west, into a more modernized/westernized country. ... As the years progressed Reza Khan witnessed the constant struggle of Iran against foreign interference in Iranian affairs. ... Reza Khan felt that Iran was in need of a strong militaristic leader that would free Iran from foreign domination. ... Reza Shah thought to secularize Iranian politics. ... Women began to enjoy the same educational and so...
Looking at Middle Eastern states such as Saudi Arabia and Iran; it would be easy to say that Islam paints a picture of gender inequality from a broad perspective. In Saudi Arabia women require a male guardian; there are restrictions on dress and behavior, and women just recently got the permission to drive a car (with a male guardian). Whilst in Iran it is not permissible for a married women to make foreign travels without the permission of her husband; restrictions on dress and behavior are also in the constitution. ... Carol Gilligan defines feminists as someone who fights against patriarchy...
Women's Rights Throughout history, women have always been second class citizens, the lower class of human beings. ... Women have never been considered a strong figure in politics, but on July 13th, 1848, something happened that would slowly change the way the world views women in politics, the women's rights movement was born. ... In 1903 two women, Mary Kenney O'Sullivan and Leonora O'Reilly, founded the National Women's Trade Union whose purpose was to improve wages and work conditions for women. ... Three countries failed to sign this treaty, the United State...
Women in Islam Discrimination against women all over the world is a serious problem. ... In the Quran, it is stated that both men and women are spiritual equal. ... In Islam, women have been treated appropriately for centuries. ... Women in Afghanistan are in fear from the fundamentalists, Iran which is such a fundamentalist and have many extremists think that Afghanistan are not treating the women fairly. ... Women, who cannot find proper medication and treatment for depression, would rather take their lives that live in such conditions. ...
In many Muslims majority states there have been human rights violations in the treatment of minority religions. ... Since the 1979 Islamic revolution, the rule of Sharia has meant a lack of equality for members of other religions in Iran. The Iranian constitution guarantees a certain level of protection for Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians. ... The religious faith of Baha`ism , like Ahmadiyya in Pakistan, is illegal in Iran. ... The governments of Saudi Arabia and Iran have punished apostasy with imprisonment or death. ...
Women received the right to vote in the 1920s; and as early as the 1960s, the Afghan constitution provided for equality for women. ... The treatment of women under the Taliban is more extreme than most westerners could imagine. ... (Many women with painted nails have had fingers cut off). Ban on women talking or shaking hands with non-mahram males. Ban on women laughing loudly. ... (A man must not hear a woman's footsteps.) Ban on women riding in a taxi without a mahram. Ban on women's presence in radio, television or public gatherin...
