Women's Culture and Status in Iran: Beyond Stereotypes

Introduction: Rethinking Iranian Women

Westerners — including Western feminists — often hold a stereotyped view of women in Iran. Iranian women are frequently portrayed in various stages of "oppression": required to cover themselves, denied equal political, legal, or economic rights, and subject to the authority of their fathers or husbands. While there is a grain of truth to many of these images, they paint an incomplete picture of the status of Iranian women today.

In Voices from Iran: The Changing Lives of Iranian Women, sociologist Mahnaz Kousha attempts to offer a more complete account of Iranian women's lives. The key word in the title is "changing." As the country continues to undergo rapid political and economic transformation, it is no surprise that the lives of women are affected as well.

This paper builds on Kousha's research to present an assessment of women's status in Iran today. It examines both the challenges that remain and the advances women have achieved over the years. In the final section, the paper employs a cultural relativist approach to explore how Iranian women exercise power and exert influence through traditional cultural practices.

Though schooled in the United States, Kousha grew up in Iran and therefore had access that might not have been available to other Western-based scholars. The result is eight chapters composed of interviews and oral histories with fifteen women in Tehran. Voices from Iran is an intimate look at Tehrani women and their concerns. Beyond political and economic rights, Kousha carefully draws out how women view questions such as marriage, father-daughter relationships, and whether men are genuinely "better off" in Iranian society than women.

Legal and Social Challenges Facing Women in Iran

Kousha and her interviewees do not gloss over human rights concerns, and Western readers will find many of their initial assumptions about Iranian women validated. Women face numerous legal and social restrictions simply on the basis of their sex. In areas where Sharia law is dominant, for example, women can inherit only up to half of what their male relatives receive. The rationale for such laws is deeply embedded in Iranian culture: since women are not seen as breadwinners or family providers, they are presumed not to need as much inheritance.

These realities align with human rights reporting on the status of women in Iran. The 2005 Human Rights Report released by the U.S. State Department documented cases in which police beat women for offenses such as wearing makeup, being accompanied by men who were not relatives, or behaving in what was deemed "immodest" ways.

Women are still barred from serving in many judicial positions. Legally, women must obtain the permission of a male relative — preferably a husband or father — to obtain a passport or to leave the country. The landmark 1967 Family Protection Law, which protected a wider range of women's rights in the home and the workplace, has been replaced by Sharia practices.

This overview points to the continuing challenge for women's and human rights advocates. Much work remains in ensuring that women enjoy the rights guaranteed by international laws and treaties. Women's groups based in Iran and internationally continue to call attention to issues such as the lack of economic independence, vastly unequal wages, and the glass ceiling. It should be noted, however, that many of these issues persist for women in developed countries such as the United States as well.

Women's Influence Within Family and Society

Voices from Iran also examines aspects of Iranian women's power and influence — an issue that often receives little attention from Western scholars and activists. Iranian wives, the interviewees point out, possess significant influence over their husbands, granting them considerable power within their families. Among younger generations, women have made strides in accumulating greater social capital, particularly through institutions such as higher education.

Conclusion: A Vibrant and Evolving Women's Culture

A discussion of the culture and status of women in Iran should go beyond mere descriptions of oppression. This does not mean that social inequity does not exist in Iran, or that gender stratification does not limit the opportunities and lives of women in that country. However, students and analysts should recognize that there is a vibrant women's culture in Iran — one that makes possible the pursuit of higher education, the creation of new economic opportunities, and even creative avenues for self-expression.