A New Hijab Bill For Iranian Women Means More Restrictions for a Historically Repressed Demographic

September 16th, 2022, marked the death of Masha Amini, an Iranian woman who died while in Iranian police custody after being accused of not following the correct rules for wearing her hijab. This death was widely considered murder at the hands of the Iranian morality police and set off protests throughout Iran and the world over police power and brutalization in Iran. Women ripped off and burned their hijabs, with some even cutting their hair to signify their indignation. These protests have been associated with the international “Women, Life, Freedom” movement, a global group of governmental leaders and demonstrators aiming to remove Iran from the Commision on the Status of Women. Now, a year later, Iranian women could be facing even stricter regulations on how they dress and wear their hijab. 

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, women in Iran have experienced tightening restrictions over their rights in society. The gradual buildup of greater gender equality experienced prior to the Revolution has since been eradicated, and specific regulations over how women may dress and act have been ingrained into law and society. This progression hasn’t occurred without objections: women have protested the changes in numbers, and some like Homa Darabi have even demonstrated their outrage through self-immolation. Still, Iranian politics and regulations have confined women’s abilities, leaving them without much say in their lives. But with the unrest over Amini’s death, a new wave of protests have gained momentum, especially with the help of social media. While the Iranian government has deemed the protests a result of Western influence (a common explanation for civil unrest) the demonstrations clearly showcase the willingness of Iranian women to stand their ground and fight for a chance to have their rights back. These protests, however, have led to a new bill that threatens the freedom of Iranian women to an extent not yet seen before.

The bill, known as the Culture of Chastity and Hijab Bill, allows up to 10 years of jail time as punishment for women who choose not to wear the hijab or abide by the Islamic dress code. Additionally, the bill permits flogging, fines of up to 360 million Iranian rials, and restrictions on travel and online access for women accused and convicted. These punishments apply to not only incorrect public attire but also any mention or promotion of “nudity” and “indecency.” With this monumental increase in punishment, it’s clear that the conservative guidelines steering the Iranian parliament have been tightened, largely as a result of the widespread protests over Masha Amini and other Iranian women. 

The severity of this bill becomes especially amplified when it is considered alongside the fact that the Iranian government has increased its use of surveillance coverage, facial recognition, and social media control to seek out and punish women who do not abide by Islamic dress and hijab regulations. Additionally, the government has invoked new methods to track down anyone within the nation who supports changes to these regulations. This means that going forward, information shared about protests and demonstrations can now be discovered and punished at an even higher degree. 

The bill has made it through the Iranian parliament but has yet to be passed by the Guardian Council, the last step for new regulations in the nation. However, it appears likely that the bill will be put in place, leading to new questions over the fate of the Iranian government and gender unrest. UN Human Rights experts say that this new bill could “be described as a form of gender apartheid… with the intention of suppressing women and girls into total submission.”
It’s clear that the bill is meant to act as a tool for enforcing and reiterating the gender power structure in Iran, but considering an increasing number of women have continued their protests by defying dress regulations, Iranian women will not be subjected silently. While it hasn’t been declared official yet, the expected passage of this bill and resultant outcries will receive international attention and support; as indicated by the Office for Human Rights’ official statement, officials from around the world are urging authorities to “abolish all regulations and procedures whereby specifically women’s behavior in public is monitored, and to introduce laws and policies that enable women and girls to exercise their human rights, including their right to fully participate in public life, without fear of retribution and discrimination.”