We Have to Know When to Hope and When to Be Hopeless’

How six Iranians feel about the Woman Life Freedom movement, one year later.

New York Magazine -Sept 16th2023

As told to Alex Shams

Intelgencier

ne year has passed since protests first broke out across Iran following the killing of a young woman named Mahsa Zhina Amini on September 16, after she was detained by the morality police. Beginning in her hometown in Iranian Kurdistan and spreading to every corner of the country, thousands of Iranians marched demanding justice, supporting women’s rights, and calling for an end to the dictatorship under the current political system, under the banner of “Woman, Life, Freedom.” The government responded with severe repression, beating and arresting protestors, and shutting down the internet to prevent activists from organizing further.

Last fall, we spoke to six protestors about what kept them in the streets. Here, we reinterviewed the same people to understand how the movement has evolved. Iran’s government remains in power, the protests have largely quieted down, and many have tempered their hopes for the future. Last year, the morality police were disbanded; then this summer, the government announced they had resumed patrol, though the situation can vary depending on where you live. Those we spoke to in Iran weighed the wisdom of joining demonstrations to mark the one-year anniversary of the uprising. They reflected on the role of the Iranian diaspora on the movement, and what global allies might do differently. Whatever happens in the coming days, millions of Iranians — especially women and young people — continue to live their lives in open defiance of the government in ways previously unthinkable.

Female Teacher in Tehran, 30s

I almost never cover my hair when I go outside. For the first time, I’ve worn T-shirts and dresses in the street that I never could have imagined wearing before. I’ve enjoyed the feeling of a hot summer breeze on my body. I’ve also felt a lot of fear: of being arrested, of being shot, of being randomly pulled out of a crowd and beaten up. Sometimes the fear is really strong. But the urge that pushes you to keep walking in the face of the cops is real, too. I feel that all those people who were killed in the protests gave their lives so I could face this fear.

I’ve been depressed a lot over the past year. So many of my friends who are teachers are out of a job because they won’t go along with what the authorities demand. They’re fired or filtered out. But I’ve also felt the joy of being united with people I would never have seen myself connected to before. Even when we’re silent, there is a sense of solidarity among people. My sister wears hijab. She walks side by side with me when I’m not wearing hijab. She feels included in the movement and that she can support it by being by my side and giving me courage to live how I want. The movement has been successful in creating a collective aspiration for freedom if nothing else. I’ve realized that people like us shouldn’t try to leave Iran. We should stay and make it our home despite those who want us gone.

We plan to protest on the one-year anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s killing, but not necessarily by endangering our lives in the streets. We’re talking about having a general strike, about writing articles, about partying, about gathering and shouting, “Hey we’re here, and we want to live our lives and be free together!”

Male Civil-Society Activist in Sistan and Baluchistan Province, 33

I live in a city where protests haven’t stopped since the beginning of the movement, not even for a week. Even after the Bloody Friday massacre where the government killed many people. They typically happen after Friday prayers when people gather outside the mosque to march. And they will keep going. Still, the government acted with so much brutality that it is unlikely we will hold a protest quite like last year to mark the movement’s anniversary, since they’re likely to crackdown.

There is nothing that hasn’t changed in the last year. People, especially women and young people, have become so much braver than before. At the same time, my life and that of others have become much more difficult economically, especially because of the high inflation rate. The gap between state and society has deepened. As a result of the movement, the government is in a position of weakness. It is on the defensive, and it has become confused about its decision-making. So I am more hopeful than ever before about a brighter future.

Female Software Engineer in Tehran, 30

In many places, women go out with their hair uncovered. If a cop harasses or tries to detain a woman because of how she’s dressed, people nearby always intervene and fight back. That used to be rare, but now it’s very common. We have also adopted more diverse methods. I refuse to go anywhere that makes women wear hijab. I boycott places I’ve heard are owned by people who support the regime or places affiliated with the government. I’ve noticed that many children of people who work in the government’s lower ranks have turned against the state, and they tell me their parents have also changed their minds. There’s been a collapse in support for the government in the poorer sections of society.

Still, there are no more protests where I live. Almost everyone who was active in last year’s protests was either detained or beaten up at some point. If you’re at a gathering and mention that you were detained, everyone else says, “Oh yeah, me too.” Getting arrested didn’t have serious consequences for me, but I’m still waiting for the result of my case, so these days I’m more cautious. And besides being sent to prison, many people lost their jobs or had their phones and laptops taken and never returned.

Those of us who went into the streets last year accepted every risk that could happen to us: being killed or blinded or just disappearing. I don’t blame people for being afraid now. I doubt people will go into the streets again this year for the anniversary. But I think the movement did what it had to do. We went down a road that could have taken us ten years. As we move forward, it will become clear how much this movement shifted things. So many people experienced a revolution inside themselves. We have no choice but to not give up the hope that we might see a better day.

On the other hand, when you’re hopeful, it can lead you to inaction. So we have to know when to hope and when to be hopeless. It’s important for us to be able to determine which one is appropriate when.