10/02/2009 / IRAN
I was not born yet. But based on what my parents have told me, the revolution was unsatisfying. The Ayatollah Khomeini lied to the Iranians. He did not tell them the truth. He had all of his opponents arrested. And the majority of them died in prison. Today, in spite of my youth, I can see that everything is still under the control of the state."
I went to the university and I found part-time work. However, I am also deprived of freedom on a daily basis. I have to wear my school uniform and I cannot wear makeup, much less wear kohl around my eyes. I don't like to wear the chador (a veil that covers the body from head to foot). It hides my beauty. My professor is always asking me in class to cover myself and not to let my face or my hair show. He is very religious.
I work in data processing, and earn around $100 per month. But it is my family that enables me to live. My father earns about $600 (a month) and my mother doesn't work. Families do not let their daughters work in private enterprises. They prefer public companies. You know, there is a big difference between poor girls and those from the higher social classes. The latter can have their own companies. The others wait quietly at home for marriage."
There is a big difference between the government and the people. I cannot say that I hate America, but what they did in Vietnam, in Iraq and Afghanistan is not worthy of such a large country. I do not have contact with foreigners. I would like to go live elsewhere, in Europe, but I also want to stay here, in Iran, to continue to fight injustice and discrimination against women."
What do you expect from the presidential election next June?
The Iranian governments are all identical. They arrest people, put them in prison and kill them. They are not democratic. To participate, one must be part of the mullahs' establishment. As for [former President Mohammad] Khatami, he misled people with his pseudo-reformism. It's true that the Iranians like him because he is different from [current President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad, but at root he did not do anything and he will not do anything."
Being a woman in Iran, 30 years after the Islamic revolution
Photo: A demonstration by Iranian feminists in June 2006. Published on the excellent
photoblog
Kosoof.
On February 11, Iran marked the 30th
anniversary of the Islamic revolution that brought Ayatollah Khomeini to
power. We posed four questions to our Iranian Observers, based both inside and
outside the country.
Read responses from our other Iranian
Observers
Contributors
"I want … to continue to fight injustice and discrimination against women."
Neda Roshangari, 24, data-processing student at the University of Tehran.
What were you doing 30 years ago?
I was not born yet. But based on what my parents have told me, the revolution was unsatisfying. The Ayatollah Khomeini lied to the Iranians. He did not tell them the truth. He had all of his opponents arrested. And the majority of them died in prison. Today, in spite of my youth, I can see that everything is still under the control of the state."
Do you feel free in Iran?
I went to the university and I found part-time work. However, I am also deprived of freedom on a daily basis. I have to wear my school uniform and I cannot wear makeup, much less wear kohl around my eyes. I don't like to wear the chador (a veil that covers the body from head to foot). It hides my beauty. My professor is always asking me in class to cover myself and not to let my face or my hair show. He is very religious.
I live in the capital, but the situation is even more difficult in the country's other cities. There, the girls really suffer. They marry young, between 14 and 16 years of age. Often they do not know their husbands. They cannot refuse, nor divorce, because this is viewed very badly by society. Women do not have leisure time. At school, there are certain fields, like medicine, that are not very accessible.
"I try to have fun. I have a friend. We go to tea houses and the cinema, but we cannot leave Tehran for fear of being stopped by the religious police."
What is your financial situation?
I work in data processing, and earn around $100 per month. But it is my family that enables me to live. My father earns about $600 (a month) and my mother doesn't work. Families do not let their daughters work in private enterprises. They prefer public companies. You know, there is a big difference between poor girls and those from the higher social classes. The latter can have their own companies. The others wait quietly at home for marriage."
What do you think of the United States?
There is a big difference between the government and the people. I cannot say that I hate America, but what they did in Vietnam, in Iraq and Afghanistan is not worthy of such a large country. I do not have contact with foreigners. I would like to go live elsewhere, in Europe, but I also want to stay here, in Iran, to continue to fight injustice and discrimination against women."What do you expect from the presidential election next June?
The Iranian governments are all identical. They arrest people, put them in prison and kill them. They are not democratic. To participate, one must be part of the mullahs' establishment. As for [former President Mohammad] Khatami, he misled people with his pseudo-reformism. It's true that the Iranians like him because he is different from [current President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad, but at root he did not do anything and he will not do anything."»
Sign up via 
Observers' Tips
The Observers TV show
Location
Maps
What we’re working on now...
Most popular
Comments
its a real pity for a great
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Wed, 11/02/2009 - 18:55.its a real pity for a great news network as France 24h to provide its audience with such a great lies
there are somethings wrong whith this report:
1) there are not as much restriction as u reported in woman clothes in Iran universities
(i am a medical student of Tehran university) u can see photos of our students in below link:
http://my.opera.com/IranianGirls/albums/show.dml?id=103002
2)some Iranian hate American government actions not their nation! we are not racist!!!!
3)Iranian women are one of those most makeup and cosmetic staffs consumers u can search net to find out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6-BZu7QSP8
4) soon or late world will understand the reality of Israel existence is based on killing. as u know there are also homosexuals who was victims of holocaust. don't u think it is good to give them weapons and land to get revenge from heterosexuals or asexual?!!!!
5)as i know most countries will put people who are harmfull or suspected as harmful to their security in prison and one of examples is Guantanamo prison and tortured people as suspected terrorists!!!!!!!!! so i think people who believe themselves as democracy and freedom seekers should start charity from their home!!!
i hope one day that people of the world come to peace and don't fight against each other because of their Governor superiority complex!!!!
Unregistered user
Neda's experiences
Submitted by Sophie Team ... on Thu, 12/02/2009 - 11:03.Please take into account that the answers given are from Neda's personal experience. And thank you for adding your own to the debate. We'd love to hear from you for future reports - if you're interested please get in touch.
Sophie Team ...
the Mohhas are the thieves of our revolution
Submitted by HAJAR (not verified) on Thu, 26/02/2009 - 15:23.I am a university student from Tehran. I fully supportthe revolution in my country but the mullahs are the theives of this great revolution! bering in mind that whatever he has yet been mentiones is only tip of the iceburg. Iran under the Mollahs is the worst dictatorial regime in the world/ I as a woman is not considered a human being. in iran we are discriminated in LAW and in Practice! this regime has paralysed the young generation by encouraging them to become drug addict or drag them to prostitution. In iran HEROINe is much cheaper than a pack of cigarets! many of my class mates were raped by our so-called spiritual corps at the university. they later turned to prostitution to meet their education expenditures! This is one aspect of this barbaric regime which commits all these crimes in the name Islam and allah!I don't want to talk about suppression and persecutions of all people especialyy the women and girls. I ask the Western counties especially PRESIDENT OBAMA TO BE MORE REALISTIC WITH THIS CRIMINAL REGIME IN MY BLEEDING COUNTRIES! MOLLAHS CAN ONLY UNDERSTAND ONE LANGUAGE AND THAT IS THE FORCE.UN AND UN COMMISSION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN SWITHZERLAND MUST HELP US! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! STOP SUPPORTING THIS INHUMAN REGIME! HAJAR
Unregistered user