Banid Feryousfi, the first Iranian woman to conduct a symphony orchestra on the stage of *Vahdat Hall*, made headlines across international media. It is now time for me to speak about the status of Iranian women as I personally witnessed during my visits to Iran in 2004 and 2017.
Many fabricated claims must be dispelled regarding what is called “the suffering of Iranian women.” Contrary to what the media promotes, Iranian women are present in all fields within Iran.
They can shop at night—something that is impossible for Algerian women in Algeria. They can also perform the Maghrib and ‘Isha prayers in mosques, as I personally did in the city of Mashhad. We were a group of Iranian and Arab women strolling and shopping at night; when the call to Maghrib was heard, we headed to the mosque and prayed in complete comfort. Algerian women, however, do not leave their homes at night to pray in the mosque; Algerian society does not permit it.
I personally attended a mixed musical theatre performance in Tehran in 2004, and the leading actress delivered an outstanding performance, with complete harmony between male and female actors. In Islamic Iran, singing is permitted and there are Iranian female singers, while in Saudi Arabia—until recently—singing and music were prohibited. I fail to understand this prohibition: Qur’anic recitation itself is based on melodic intonation, and the chirping of birds is a form of natural music that brings us joy and inspires us to glorify the Creator.
In Iran, women hold positions of responsibility and work the same hours as men. I met a female employee at Mashhad Airport at three in the morning, whereas in Algeria, men disapprove of women working at such an hour. Iranian society very open, yet remains attached to its religious customs with a rationality we do not find among Salafists and hardliners.
Women in Iran enjoy rights that cannot be found even in the West. They keep their own money and are not required to spend on their families, while Iranian husbands generously provide for their wives without asking them to share expenses—despite the severe economic crisis and high cost of living. Women freely practice sports in parks, while Algerian women cannot go out early for a walk without facing harassment or criticism for their so-called “Western liberation.”
Let us stop portraying Iranian women as oppressed and crushed. Yes, there are Iranian feminists who demand freedoms modeled after the West, but this is impossible. Why? Because we are Muslims, and our religion grants us many rights within strict boundaries—just as it grants men rights within strict ethical limits.
I hope I have succeeded in conveying the true image of Iranian women from within their society.
