8th of March a socialist heritage celebrating freedom and equality
It is 8th March, the International Women’s Day. On this day, we once again emphasize our commitment to eliminating sexual oppression and to continue our fight for liberation and equality. We live in an extremely dire situation, internationally and in the Middle East. In the world we live in, it is of utmost importance to emphasise our egalitarian and liberating horizon and values. it is befitting to voice our humane goals On 8th of March.
This day belongs to the socialist movement. It was the socialist movement that declared the day as the day of freedom and equality of women, and it is due to the relentless socialist struggle that 8th of March has become identified with women’s equality throughout the world. United Nations chose this day as women’s day, not out of radicalism or dedication to equality and freedom, but rather with the intention of watering it down.
Women’s liberation movement in Iran was born at the same time as the Islamic regime; Islamic regime gave birth to its antithesis, its staunchest enemy, i.e. women’s liberation movement. This movement has taken deep roots in society. It has faced ups and downs over the past forty years. At one time, the national Islamic reformist movement became widely active and tried to steal the stage in order to silence the radical left tendency. The left was fighting to completely de-Islamise the laws and the state, to overthrow the Islamic regime and has been fighting for real equality. The demand and slogan “equal blood money for men and women” demanded by national-Islamic reformists was among the masterpieces of this period; Organising religious ceremonies and prayers and kissing the hands of criminal mullahs in the parliament was their activism! Shirin Ebadi was one of their heroes (a friend of the regime at the time she received the Noble peace prize.) We exposed them and pushed for the deepening of radicalism in the women’s liberation movement. Our role was effective.
In the next round, these national Islamic women activists went abroad. They toured Western countries and received awards, donations and funds from Western states or foundations. Their position was still the same: “Islam does not contradict women’s rights,” (Shirin Ebadi’s famous declaration after winning the Noble peace prize in 2003). It did not take long before they gradually replaced their veils with hats and then tousled their hair. (Masih Alinejad is a famous example of this.) Different stunts are used to enable them to keep up with the times! With the rise of the revolutionary movement against the Islamic regime, they changed course from timid defenders of the regime to joining the right wing opposition, the national-fascist movement defending the previous regime.
Women’s liberation movement is a solid pillar of the revolutionary movement against the Islamic Republic. The world felt the existence and weight of this movement in street protests, in burning the hijab, and in breaking sexual apartheid. A striking feature of the women’s liberation movement in Iran is the large and active presence of men in it.
The balance of power has changed dramatically. Women’s liberation movement in Iran succeeded in the de facto overthrowing of hijab. All the regime’s efforts to attack women without the hijab and the “hijab and Chastity” bill are a desperate attempt to save face. The Islamic Republic is tangled in a predicament, it has lost the war on hijab and sexual apartheid, but as these two phenomena are its flag and ideological identity, it needs to keep it alive.
On the other hand, the right-wing opposition, who are counting on US regime change to rise to power, are trying to dilute and “hijack” the women’s liberation movement. The word “Woman” is being superficially glorified in this scenario. All kinds of “human rights” and Nobel peace prize have been bestowed upon these figures. Their model-like photos are published in Western fashion and political magazines.
In1979 Iranian revolution, US and the West brought Islamists to power in Iran, a regime change imposed on people who had risen against tyranny, inequality and poverty. This time, US and the west intend to change the regime back to the old one. National fascists are the main actors of the regime change scenario and they use the narrative of “women against Islam” in the most superficial and fake way; (Or, even more superficial, woman’s body against Islam!) The West is very “creative”; professionally making up false narratives, refurbishing and customising movements and creating leaders ; just as they once made ISIS and Al-Qaeda, and then with a minor plastic surgery, exchanged their robes and turbans for Yves Saint Laurent suits and were installed into the Syrian government.
We need to be aware and vigilant. We should expose their narrative. This is a trap to abort the revolutionary movement for freedom and equality of the masses of the people, the working class and the women’s liberation movement. In the current critical conditions of the region and the world, increased vigilance is needed to put a barrier against this regime-change trap in the struggle for the revolutionary overthrow of the Islamic regime. Socialist ideals, that is, freedom and equality are deep rooted in Iran. These goals must be formulated and expressed loudly. Unity and solidarity must be expanded. Revolutionary organisation must be formed. A huge and decisive battle is ahead of us.
Even if we ignore theory, history has consistently shown that freedom and equality under capitalism are impossible. Leave aside the vast majority of the world under oppression and dictatorship thanks to US imperialism, look at the western world, the cradle of democracy and prosperity. 80 years after the end of a devastating world war that led to horrific genocides in every corner of the world, to holocaust, and the US celebrated its end by dropping atomic bombs on Japan, after promising that it will “Never happen again!”, celebrating human rights and democracy; fascism is rapidly on the rise to complete power.
Repression and censorship are rampant; poverty and deprivation have engulfed millions in the “prosperous” West. Western statesmen are beating the drums of war. Thousands have been killed in Palestine; the flames of war have engulfed the region. The Middle East has practically become a ruin, an open mass grave. The cleansing of a nation is proceeding in the most brutal way possible before the eyes of the world. This is capitalism. Capitalism came to power by bleeding society and has continued to exist by enslaving millions of people. This is the nature of capitalism.
women’s liberation movement in Iran must raise the flag of socialism, the flag of real freedom and equality, not a formal or cosmetic one. If the west and their allies have not been able to implement the regime change yet is because of the existence of the socialist aspirations within Iranian society. Let us believe in our strength. Let us rely on our united and organised force. Let us not allow our demands and ideals to be diluted, hijacked or distorted.
8th March is a suitable occasion to consolidate and strengthen our movement; a movement that strives for the freedom and equality of humans from the yoke of slavery and exploitation, injustice and oppression.
Long Live Women’s Liberation!
Long live Freedom, equality and prosperity!
Organisation for Women’s Liberation
۵ March 2025
