Now that the U.S. has abandoned the Iranian people’s freedom as a goal in the ceasefire negotiations, it’s time to look back on what happened to women since the Islamic Republic of Iran was established in 1979, creating a theocracy. In the past I’ve done that, as I do here, by doing a Google image search for women in Iran. The results are telling. Here we see the regressive change wrought in the last fifty years.
First, the results of the Google image search, “Women in Iran, 1975″ , before the Revolution. Do the search for yourself, and click what’s below to enlarge it. Note the women in shorts skirts and Western dress, with only a very few in burqas or hijabs:
The results of the Google image search, “Women in Iran, 2025”. Most of the women are covered, and those who are not are protesting covering or demanding freedom. This is what the theocracy has done to women, and the argument that covering is a “choice” simply doesn’t stand up. It’s not chosen, but compelled. (Note: there are some areas of Tehran where women eschew veiling as the Morality Police don’t do their thing there.)
These are half of the people Donald Trump implied that he’d free: they would take over their government after he toppled it.
Thanks for keeping up with the issue of Iranian women’s freedom from theocracy, Jerry! The before and after 1979 pictures of Iranian women are always chilling.