Iran riots: When men make decisions for women

History has shown us that since the beginning of time, men made decisions that dictated how women should live their lives. Whether they were cavemen, policymakers, spouses or even brothers, men have always believed they know what is good for society, that is, women.

Throughout history to date, women have fought to have ‘equal-ish’ rights to men. The rights to vote, the right to fair and equal pay, the right to choice… Such fundamental rights, which women should be enjoying the same as their counterparts, have been taken away by said man.

The news of what is happening in Iran has hit all major news sites around the globe. Social media posts are full of women in Iran protesting in the streets or posting videos of themselves cutting their hair as part of the protest. You see since the revolution of 1979, Iranian women are required by law to wear hijabs that cover their head, neck and hair. A task-force known as the morality police, mostly made up of old clerics, are tasked to oversee this ‘law’.

Although the women in Iran have always been retaliating against the morality police, the final straw came with the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. On September 13, Amini was arrested for violating the dress code only to be brutally assaulted by the police. Amini was in a coma for two days before succumbing to her injuries. Her death led to nationwide protests that are still blazing the streets of Tehran.

In America, the overturning of Roe v Wade as a constitutional right for women to have abortions set the country back 50 years, since the historical case paved a way for women to have the right of choice. This decision not only takes back women to the dark ages, where they had no say over their bodies, but also has serious ramifications for victims of abuse. In just a few short weeks of the overturning or Roe v Wade, the case of a 10-year-old girl in America gathered international interest as she was denied an abortion after conceiving through rape.

Meanwhile in China, the one-child policy has been overturned, yet the birth rate is still low as families find the cost of raising children extremely high. However, there was more damage caused by the one-child policy than the policymakers could foresee. The gender disparity of males versus females has been on an increase due to gender preference and selective abortions. The current data out of Statista states that the biggest gender disparity lies around the 20-year-old age group, with 116.1 males to every 100 females.

In Kenya, throughout our history, women have had to fight not only for equal opportunities but also against certain cultural atrocities, such as FGM, early marriage and wife inheritance. Even 12 years after the referendum, only seven women in Kenya managed to snag seven of the 47 gubernatorial seats, in what media outlets labelled as a “historic win”. Apparently seven against 40 seems somewhat fair.

Whether it be a policy or an order, we know that nothing good ever comes out of men making decisions for women. Mostly because our struggles are different. A man can never fully understand the struggles of a woman because he is physically unable to do so. A man would never know the extent of carrying a baby, yet he forces women to do so by abolishing abortion rights. Men walk around in shorts and vests in the hot season but claim, “Women are walking around naked” for doing the same. Men will always have something to say whether you are under dressed or overdressed.

This is not a story that bashes men; this is a story showing men the historical fact and incidents that cause the world to come out of balance when they make decisions for women.