These Iranian men in hijabs are taking a stand for women and against moral policing

Now, almost 40 years later, there is another wave of protest building up against this stringent and orthodox rule, and this time, it’s the men who have taken up the cause – lending their voice to this long-drawn fight by the women of the country. A social media campaign with the hashtag #MenInHijab is currently on on Twitter and Facebook, where Iranian men and those who support the cause are sharing pictures of themselves wearing hijab or headscarf.

The movement that has got enough traction on many platforms was launched by Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad, who had also launched the website ‘My Stealthy Freedom’, which allows women inside Iran to share their photos without covering their face and has been fighting against the strict Islamic dress codes since 2014.

“Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979 women in Iran have had to cover their hair in public, but many Iranian women and men feel that wearing a hijab in public should be a personal choice,” reads the description on the website.

“Most of these men are living inside Iran and they have witnessed how their female relatives have been suffering at the hands of the morality police and humiliation of enforced hijab, Alinejad told the Independent.

A lot of men and women are participating in the campaign to fight for their rights and taking to Twitter and Facebook to share the message.

“This campaign is useful because it highlights the rights of women. We should not be treated as objects. Simply, as women having a good level of education around the world, Iranian women should live in taking full advantage of their rights and being those determining themselves how they dress. The fact that they are forced to wear something against their will tarnishes, in reality, the image of Iranians everywhere in the world,” wrote the man who shared his picture.

#MenInHijab support women’s right to choose if they want to wear hijab or not, it shouldn’t be a punishable law pic.twitter.com/NJ9RU8uPxn

— Ida Elvon ☕ ツ (@purpleview) July 31, 2016

“We don’t believe mandatory hijab is a sign of honour for a family” #MenInHijab #Iran pic.twitter.com/eHjFBRkBfp

— Maryam Nayeb Yazdi (@maryamnayebyazd) July 30, 2016

Think this is ridiculous? Then why do you force women to do it? #MenInHijab #Iran #HeForShe pic.twitter.com/A1Trlbt6oz

— DSRGenealogist (@DSRGenealogist) July 29, 2016

You can’t force people what to wear, eat, drink, think and who to be friends with. It’s unnatural. #MenInHijab #Iran pic.twitter.com/fdhZgQH8rd

— Saman Arbabi (@SamanArbabi) July 29, 2016

On what inspired Alinejad to start the movement, she told Independent, “In our society, a woman’s existence and identity is justified by a man’s integrity, and in many cases the teachings of a religious authority or government officials influence a man’s misguided sense of ownership over women. So I thought it would be fantastic to invite men to support women’s rights.”