As part of the social media campaign "Let Us Talkthe Iranian human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Masih Alinejad launched 'No Hijab Day'. with the aim of raising awareness about the Iranian and Afghan women forced to wear the veil against their will.
Alinejad judges very harshly the liberal and 'intersectional' feminism that talks casually about the hijab as a free choice.
Iran requires women to wear the hijab until the age of 7. Women can be imprisoned, whipped or fined if they do not cover their hair.
Alinejad's 'No Hijab Day' was launched on the occasion of the "World Hijab Day'.which, on the contrary encourages women to wear the hijab in support of Muslim women targeted because of their faith.
According to Alinejad women oppressed by Islamic laws have the right to speak out against the hijab without being labelled anti-Muslim.
Last 15 December In the United States, a bill against Islamophobia was passed. and Alinejad expressed her concern that the law would silence legitimate criticism of organisations such as the Taliban and regimes such as the Iranian one that oppress women. For this reason, she was in turn accused of Islamophobia.
Many Twitter users supported the 'Let Us Talk' and 'No Hijab Day' campaigns by sharing photos of themselves without headscarves and clips of pre-revolution footage showing bare-headed Iranian women.
Anti-hijab activists are in prison in Iran for protesting peacefully. Saba Kord Afshari was sentenced to 24 years in prison for removing her headscarf during a protest in January 2018.
"While women in the West are celebrating 'World Hijab Day', five 'White Wednesday' activists - demonstrations against the compulsory hijab, ed - are in prison just for peacefully protesting. You can't call yourself a feminist and celebrate something that has become a tool in the hands of Islamists to oppress women and silence them" said Alinejad. "I have never heard 'World Hijab Day' defend those Iranian and Afghan women who are beaten and whipped for not wearing the hijab."
Marina Terragni