On September 16 of 2022, 22-year-old, Masha Amini, was beaten to death after she was detained by the “morality police,” or the Basji, for not wearing the hijab “correctly.” Thousands of Instagram stories reposted articles detailing the incident, people of the internet rallying in support of Iran.

“With men holding the power, they have the power to censor women and dictate the rules,” said junior Yuwei Haung.

After the incident, the Tehran Hospital (where Amini was taken after her arrest) confirmed her death, releasing pictures of her bruised face. The pictures are evidence of her likely death from blunt force trauma caused by the beating of the morality police.

“Which is also why women need to become a more leading role to advocate for themselves,” continued Haung.

The feminist yell has been ringing loud and clear this past year, in aftermath of events including the overturning of Roe v. Wad, the rise of femicide (female murder) rates in Central and South American countries, and the Iranian female led protests occuring recently.

“I know that since the Islamic Revolution that they started basically seeing women as objects,” senior Julian Lynch. “I keep up on the news and the overturning of Roe v. Wade pisses me off the most, since it basically throws away 50 years of fight.”

This female led fight in Iran has been present since the mid-seventies where Islamic revolutions broke out. During that decade, the Basji, also known as the ‘Morality Police’ was a male institution with strict rules enforced towards the general public, yet mainly women.

“The Basij, formally known as the Organisation for the Mobilization of the Oppressed, enforce Iran’s Islamic social codes, acting as a morality police at checkpoints and parks, at other times crushing protests,” said the Guardian article titled ‘Basij get lost!’ Female protesters heckle morality police in Iran.

“I feel that women are being subject to unnecessary changes because of the feelings and rage of men,” said senior Cassidy Zanger.

“With men holding the power, they have the power to censor women and dictate the rules,” said Haung, “which is also why women need to take a more leading role to advocate for themselves.”

Worldwide protests have erupted in response to this event. Bonfires of burning hijabs decorate the streets of iran, where the women behind the protests rid themselves of their hijabs, rebelling against Iran religious institutions and the constraints towards women.

“The fact that a men controlled government gets to vote on women’s rights is so outlandish,” said Lynch, “Feels like a movie.”