Iranian women and their fight against Islamic regime
On March 9, the Women’s Resource Centre (WRC) and the Iranian Students Association of the University of Ottawa (ISAUO) hosted an event that brought together Iranian women and allies to continue their support for the recent uprisings and revolution in Iran.
The event took place at the WRC office, and began with a short presentation on the recent Iranian uprising. The presentation gave context for why many women from Iran no longer want to wear the hijab, especially following the events that took place in September 2022.
The presenter is an executive member of ISAUO, and also a volunteer at the WRC. She pointed out that the purpose of the event was mainly to show appreciation for the women in Iran that are continuing to fight for their rights, and the fearlessness of their fight.
For the second half of the event, members worked together on an empty canvas to create artwork that would showcase their appreciation for Iranian women and the revolution. The presenter mentioned that she wanted to let people express themselves however they wanted to, and even provided arts and craft materials, and printed out pictures to help them start.
Many images included protests from past and present revolutions in Iran, focusing mainly on the women at the forefront, signifying the long-time struggle of Iranian women and their fight for rights. Participants glued these images onto the canvas.
“The goal is to have more people know about what is happening in Iran and also allow Iranians to do something different to show their appreciation,” stated the presenter in an interview with the Fulcrum.
She explained that, sometimes, the act of protest can become overwhelming and get away from the main cause — which is women, she clarified. “So, talking about women was important, so that we can bring it out of just social media.”
The event was brought together by WRC and ISAUO, illustrating the intersections of social movements and how a university campus can bring together students to lean on each other and support a common cause.
The identity of the unnamed source in this article has been confirmed and vetted by the Fulcrum. To respect their safety and privacy, their names have been omitted, as they still have connections to Iran.
