Femininity opposition and revolution in the Islamic Republic of Iran; an analysis from twitter

In Islamic Republic of Iran, femininity encounters a distinct conflict with the prevailing political system discourse. The rise of political Islam after the Islamic revolution has resulted in extensive limitations on women’s rights and the institutionalized suppression of their freedoms. In light of the constraints imposed by the I.R, social media platforms, particularly Twitter, have become vital spaces for accessing valuable information pertaining to competing political discourses, specifically those concerning women-related issues. This study examines the frequency and nature of women-related indicators generated by the opposition movement on Twitter from early 2020 to early 2022. The findings indicate that, relative to other groups, subversive oppositions place a stronger emphasis on women’s demands. Drawing inspiration from feminist discourse and advocating for the elimination of political Islam, subversives argue that women’s demands cannot be met without overthrowing the Islamic Republic. They focus on topics such as women’s rights violations and the individual’s right to choose whether or not to wear the hijab, thereby posing significant challenges to the I.R. These challenges were further intensified by the death of Jina (Mahsa) Amini, who died while in the custody of morality police, leading to widespread public demonstrations in the summer and fall of 2022.