Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has issued a fatwa that females in cartoons must wear hijab. According to a report published by the Iranian news agency, Tasnim, Khamenei says women in cartoons and animated cartoon films should wear hijab.
The decree came in response to the question asked by a user on telegram. The user had asked if it’s mandatory for females in cartoons to wear hijab. “Is observing hijab necessary for characters in animated films (three-dimensional paintings that come from the artist’s mind)?” asked a user on the telegram channel.
Iran's Supreme Leader issues New Fatwa that the Women in Cartoons and Animated Films must wear Hijab
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) February 23, 2021
“Although wearing hijab in such a hypothetical situation is not required per se, observing hijab in animation is required due to the consequences of not wearing a hijab,” said Khamenei in response to the user.
Women and young females are bound to wear headscarves and hijab following an order passed by the authorities soon after the establishment of the Islamic regime in Iran in 1979.
Iranian women defying the decree set by the authorities face severe repercussions in the form of imprisonments and sanctions.
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However, a large number of women in Iran have been rising to protest against the hardcore laws set for them. Laws have been relaxed barely for women in Iran attributed to the growing agitation by them.
In case you thought the Grand Ayatollah Khamenei wasn't focused on core issues of interest for #Iran and Iranians https://t.co/uyWsn8iWB9
— Arash Azizi آرش عزیزی (@arash_tehran) February 22, 2021
Struggles of Iranian women
Women in Iran face extreme challenges in the areas of marriage and employment. Iranian women are discriminated against in the workforce. Iran’s women activism has a long history. It was during the Pahlavi monarchy from 1920 to 1979 that women had made significant progress. Several women served high-profile posts in the judiciary and army in the Iranian government.
In 1963 women obtained the right to vote and in 1968 Iran appointed its first female education minister.
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However, despite females dominating the proportion of university students, they make up just 15% of the workforce compared to 64% of men.