Novara FM: How the West Tried to Co-opt Iranian Feminism w/ Bahar Noorizadeh
Apr 10, 2025
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Bahar Noorizadeh, a writer, artist, and researcher from the RCA School of Architecture, delves into Iran's complex political landscape. She argues that the Islamic Republic has always been a neoliberal and imperial state, impacting various ethnic groups. The discussion explores how the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement, ignited by Gina Amini's death, symbolizes a united front against oppression. Noorizadeh emphasizes the need for genuine solidarity in feminist struggles, addressing the dangers of Western appropriation and the importance of intersectionality in activism across Iran and beyond.
The Women Life Freedom Movement has united various national struggles in Iran, emphasizing the interconnection between women's rights and broader resistance against systemic oppression.
Neoliberal policies have exacerbated economic disparities and precarious labor conditions for women in Iran, complicating the fight for gender equality across different socio-economic backgrounds.
Western narratives often misrepresent Iranian women's struggles, necessitating a deeper understanding of the diverse socio-political realities that shape their experiences and activism.
Deep dives
The Origins of the Women Life Freedom Movement
The Women Life Freedom Movement emerged following the death of Jina Amini, a young Kurdish Iranian woman who died in police custody after being arrested by morality police. This incident sparked widespread protests and galvanized the Kurdish women's movement’s slogan, 'Jinjian Azadi'—women, life, freedom. The movement not only highlighted women's rights but also linked various national struggles, with cross-regional solidarity emerging as women in Balochistan joined Kurdish women in expressing outrage over their own cases of violence and oppression. The convergence of these protests marked a significant moment of unity in a broader context of resistance against systemic violence and repression.
The Role of Intersectionality in the Movement
The success of the Women Life Freedom Movement can be partly attributed to its intersectional nature, connecting various societal and national struggles within Iran. Prior to Amini's death, many Iranians felt demoralized and disconnected, but her case resonated deeply, tying together a history of Kurdish oppression and women's resistance across the nation. This interconnectedness allowed different factions of society to mobilize based on shared grievances, transcending class barriers and bringing attention to the plight of marginalized groups, including those facing internal colonialism. The solidarity born of the movement underscored the importance of recognizing and addressing multiple forms of oppression simultaneously.
Neoliberalism and Its Impact on Iranian Society
Neoliberal policies have had profound effects on both state structure and everyday life in Iran since the revolution, reshaping power dynamics and patriarchal structures. Starting with reforms during the Shah's era and further amplified by the Islamic Republic, privatization and informal labor have proliferated, creating vast economic disparities. Women's labor, often invisible and undervalued, has increasingly become precarious, especially among migrant communities. The exploitation inherent in this system complicates the struggle for women's rights, as working-class women find themselves at the intersection of economic oppression and gender inequality.
The Challenges of Representation and Identity
The representation of Iranian women's struggles suffers from a complex entanglement with Western narratives that often oversimplify or misinterpret their experiences. Activist figures who gain visibility in the media frequently embody a selective narrative that can obscure the broader, more nuanced realities of the struggles faced by women in Iran, particularly in less visible regions like Balochistan. These misrepresentations can lead to an inadequate understanding of the diverse socio-political landscapes and internal dynamics within Iran. Thus, it is crucial to unpack these narratives to recognize the unique identities and experiences of different women and their interconnected struggles.
The Evolving Nature of Feminism in Iran
The feminist landscape in Iran is rapidly evolving, characterized by a blend of civic activism and grassroots movements that reflect both historical context and contemporary challenges. While previous efforts, such as the One Million Signatures campaign, focused on specific legal reforms, today’s activism is increasingly intertwined with broader societal uprisings. Recent protests have seen a resurgence of opposition to state-imposed mandates, such as mandatory hijab, highlighting a powerful grassroots push for individual rights and freedoms. This shifting focus indicates a growing awareness among women of the need to address systemic issues of oppression in tandem with their specific demands for rights and justice.
When you think about neoliberal states, maybe you think of the UK, or Russia in the 90s, or Chile. You probably don’t think about Iran.
And yet, argues Bahar Noorizadeh, the Islamic Republic has been, since before the 1979 revolution, a neoliberal state – and an imperial one as well.
It has suppressed the Kurdish and Baloch nations inside its own borders.
How can we show solidarity with feminist and national struggles inside Iran and resist the warmongering of the Trump regime at the same time?
Bahar spoke to Eleanor Penny about how to resist the appropriation of the feminist movement by the West, the question political Islam, and how feminist struggles are linking up from Palestine to Balochistan and Kurdistan.
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