Social media videos of women in Iran riding motorbikes, dancing in the streets, and flouting mandatory hijab laws have gone viral, suggesting a shift in societal norms three years after the 'Women, Life, Freedom' protests. Photographer Kiana Hyeri, visiting Tehran for the first time in three years, expressed amazement at the number of women with bare heads and crop tops, particularly given the brutal repression of the protest movement sparked by Mahsa Amini's death.
However, journalist Deepa Parent warns that life has not become easier for Iranian women. The regime is intensifying its crackdown on dissent amid war with Israel, economic turmoil, and a water crisis, with Iran carrying out more executions than any other country. 'To see these young people who are fully aware of how risky it is to go out on the streets and sing... I just think they've reached a point that they are ready to pay the price on whatever it takes,' Parent told Annie Kelly.
The defiance comes despite severe penalties for violating hijab laws, including arrest and prosecution. The 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement, which erupted after Amini's death in custody in September 2022, was met with a violent state response, but women continue to resist through small acts of rebellion, from removing headscarves to dancing in public.
