Unveiling the Veil: Women’s Everyday Resistance in Qom, Iran’s Holiest City
A distraught mother cradles her ailing infant in her arms, seated on the unforgiving ground. Her scarf drapes over her shoulder. Suddenly, a mullah approaches, his intentions unclear. With a swift motion, he captures a photograph of the mother. Sensing an invasion of her privacy, the woman confronts the mullah, demanding retribution. “Give me your phone,” she commands, her voice a mix of desperation and determination. Despite his denial, the woman persists, her resolve unyielding. As the commotion draws attention, spectators gather, rallying behind the aggrieved mother. Faced with mounting pressure, the mullah reluctantly surrenders his device, conceding to the woman’s unwavering assertion of her rights.
After the film depicting this conflict was released, it captured an ever-increasing share of the Iranian media’s spotlight. People from all walks of life, both women and men, were drawn to the woman’s story, deeply resonating with her struggle. The hashtag #QomiMother rapidly gained traction across various social media platforms, serving as a rallying cry for justice and empathy. From that moment, she became widely known by this poignant moniker. However, despite the widespread attention her story received, the narrative takes a poignant turn as her whereabouts and well-being after the video’s release remain shrouded in uncertainty, leaving many questions unanswered.
She earned praise for her unwavering courage and resilience during the ordeal in Qom. Situated in Iran, Qom is revered as a holy city and is known as the global epicenter of Shi’ism, boasting the largest congregation of Mullahs worldwide.
The city where this woman’s daily acts of resistance unfolded captured the public’s gaze, drawing attention to the ongoing struggle. The conflict between the mullah and the Qomi Mother vividly showcased the profound divide between Iran’s Islamist regime and its revolutionary dissidents. It highlighted a clash of opposing ideologies, symbolizing two distinct political poles. On one side stood the mullah, representing the norms of the Islamist state, striving to enforce the principles of the Islamic Republic of Iran within the city. On the other side stood a woman who not only defied these state-imposed norms but also steadfastly asserted her rights as a citizen, embodying the spirit of resistance in the face of adversity.
An additional critical element that captured public attention regarding the resistance of this Iranian woman is the government’s ongoing struggle to suppress women’s individual defiance. The resilience exhibited by the Qomi mother underscores the government’s inability to completely quash women’s resistance, despite its efforts to repress the Woman, Life, Freedom movement. Even within Qom, a bastion of the government’s ideology, authorities have faltered in their attempts to suppress the everyday acts of defiance by women. The narrative of the Qomi Mother quickly gained traction as it vividly portrays the regime’s shortcomings within its supposed stronghold.
As a result, the defiance exemplified by the Qomi Mother in March has resonated widely, symbolizing the erosion of the government’s authority and its failure to impose its norms, particularly in Qom, a stronghold of Islamist ideology.
