Talking about WOMEN IN IRAN🇮🇷 in English | Easy English Speaking Practice

0:00 HELLO EVERYONE WELCOME BACK TO EASY TALK THE PODCAST WHERE WE HELP YOU DISCUSS IMPORTANT GLOBAL TOPICS WITH CONFIDENCE IN ENGLISH I'M MIKE AND I'M HERE WITH MY INSIGHTFUL CO HOST JANE HEY EVERYBODY WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE JOINING US FOR TODAY'S IMPORTANT EPISODE IF YOU'RE NEW HERE WELCOME TO OUR COMMUNITY WE MAKE ENGLISH LEARNING ENGAGING PRACTICAL AND CONNECTED TO UNDERSTANDING DIVERSE EXPERIENCES AROUND THE WORLD AND TO OUR RETURNING LISTENERS THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF THIS JOURNEY BEFORE WE BEGIN PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHANNEL GIVE US A THUMBS UP AND TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS IT HELPS US REACH MORE ENGLISH LEARNERS WORLDWIDE

0:45 ALSO WE HAVE A SPECIAL QUESTION FOR YOU AT THE END OF THIS EPISODE WE GENUINELY WANT TO HEAR YOUR PERSPECTIVES AND EXPERIENCES ESPECIALLY FROM OUR IRANIAN LISTENERS READY FOR TODAY'S TOPIC JANE ABSOLUTELY TODAY WE'RE EXPLORING AN IMPORTANT AND OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD TOPIC JANE WHAT COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WOMEN IN IRAN HONESTLY I IMMEDIATELY THINK OF THE PROTESTS WE'VE SEEN IN RECENT NEWS BUT I REALIZED THAT'S A VERY LIMITED VIEW THAT'S EXACTLY THE PROBLEM WITH HOW THIS TOPIC IS OFTEN DISCUSSED IT'S REDUCED TO HEADLINES WITHOUT CONTEXT OR COMPLEXITY WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT IRANIAN WOMEN ARE NOT A MONOLITH

1:32 THEY'RE DOCTORS ENGINEERS ARTISTS ATHLETES MOTHERS STUDENTS ENTREPRENEURS THEY HAVE DIVERSE EXPERIENCES PERSPECTIVES AND VOICES I IMAGINE THEIR EXPERIENCES VERY GREATLY ENORMOUSLY A WOMAN IN TEHRAN MIGHT HAVE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LIFE THAN A WOMAN IN A RURAL VILLAGE A WOMAN FROM A RELIGIOUS FAMILY HAS DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES THAN ONE FROM A SECULAR FAMILY WHAT MADE YOU INTERESTED IN THIS TOPIC I'VE TAUGHT MANY IRANIAN WOMEN OVER THE YEARS AND EACH ONE WAS BRILLIANT ACCOMPLISHED AND COMPLEX THEY CHALLENGED EVERY STEREOTYPE I'D UNCONSCIOUSLY HELD CAN YOU SHARE AN EXAMPLE I HAD A STUDENT NAMED MARIAM

2:18 WHO WAS A SOFTWARE ENGINEER FROM TEHRAN SHE WORE HIJAB BY CHOICE HELD A MASTER'S DEGREE WORKED AT A TECH COMPANY AND WAS THE MAIN BREADWINNER FOR HER FAMILY THAT CHALLENGES WESTERN STEREOTYPES ABOUT WOMEN WHO WEAR HIJAB EXACTLY SHE WASN'T OPPRESSED OR UNEDUCATED SHE WAS HIGHLY SKILLED FINANCIALLY INDEPENDENT AND MADE HER OWN CHOICES ABOUT HER FAITH AND APPEARANCE WHAT ABOUT WOMEN WITH DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES I ALSO TAUGHT LALEH WHO HAD LEFT IRAN BECAUSE SHE FELT RESTRICTED BY MANDATORY HIJAB LAWS AND WANTED MORE PERSONAL FREEDOM HER EXPERIENCE WAS EQUALLY VALID SO BOTH EXPERIENCES EXIST YES AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND

3:05 IRANIAN WOMEN ARE NOT ALL THE SAME AND WE CAN'T MAKE SWEEPING GENERALIZATIONS WHAT'S OUR FOCUS TODAY WE'RE DISCUSSING HOW TO TALK ABOUT WOMEN IN IRAN IN ENGLISH THE VOCABULARY THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT THE DIVERSE REALITIES AND HOW TO DISCUSS THIS TOPIC RESPECTFULLY WITHOUT STEREOTYPING THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND EXPERIENCES IN IRAN HAPPEN FREQUENTLY AND WE NEED TO DO THEM JUSTICE WILL EXPLORE IRANIAN WOMEN'S HISTORY THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOCIETY THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK THEY NAVIGATE THEIR ACTIVISM AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THEIR AGENCY AND VOICES YOU'LL TEACH YOU VOCABULARY FOR DISCUSSING GENDER

3:51 RIGHTS AND SOCIAL ISSUES AND YOU'LL HELP YOU AVOID COMMON MISTAKES AND STEREOTYPES AND AT THE END I'LL DO OUR QUICK VOCABULARY REVIEW WITH 10 ESSENTIAL TERMS FOR DISCUSSING WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES AND RIGHTS IN IRAN LET'S BEGIN THIS IMPORTANT CONVERSATION ALRIGHT MIKE LET'S START WITH HISTORICAL CONTEXT IRANIAN WOMEN HAVEN'T ALWAYS HAD THE SAME RIGHTS OR RESTRICTIONS HISTORY MATTERS WHAT'S THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND WOMEN IN ANCIENT PERSIA HAD RELATIVELY HIGH STATUS COMPARED TO OTHER ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS PERSIAN QUEENS LIKE ATOSSA AND PURANDOKHT HAD SIGNIFICANT POLITICAL INFLUENCE REALLY I DIDN'T KNOW THAT

4:36 YES AND IN MORE RECENT HISTORY IRANIAN WOMEN WERE PIONEERS IN THE MIDDLE EAST IN 19 O 6 WOMEN PARTICIPATED IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL REVOLUTION WHAT WAS THAT IT WAS A MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRACY AND A CONSTITUTION IN IRAN WOMEN WEREN'T JUST PASSIVE OBSERVERS THEY ACTIVELY PARTICIPATED ORGANIZED AND CONTRIBUTED FINANCIALLY WHEN DID WOMEN GAIN FORMAL RIGHTS GRADUALLY THROUGHOUT THE 20TH CENTURY IN 1963 WOMEN GAINED THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND RUN FOR PARLIAMENT UNDER THE SHAW THIS WAS EARLIER THAN IN SOME EUROPEAN COUNTRIES WHAT ABOUT EDUCATION BY THE 1970S IRANIAN WOMEN WERE ATTENDING UNIVERSITIES IN SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS TEHRAN UNIVERSITY

5:24 AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS HAD FEMALE STUDENTS IN MEDICINE LAW ENGINEERING AND SCIENCES SO WOMEN WERE EDUCATED PROFESSIONALS ABSOLUTELY IRAN HAD FEMALE DOCTORS LAWYERS JUDGES ENGINEERS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WHAT CHANGED IN 1979 THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTION BROUGHT SIGNIFICANT CHANGES SOME LAWS EXPANDED WOMEN'S ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND HEALTHCARE IN RURAL AREAS WHILE OTHERS IMPOSED RESTRICTIONS LIKE MANDATORY HIJAB AND LIMITATIONS ON CERTAIN PROFESSIONS THAT SOUNDS CONTRADICTORY IT IS CONTRADICTORY WHICH IS WHY IRANIAN WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES ARE SO COMPLEX

6:09 THE POST REVOLUTION GOVERNMENT INVESTED HEAVILY IN FEMALE EDUCATION INCLUDING IN RURAL AREAS FEMALE LITERACY RATES INCREASED DRAMATICALLY BUT THERE WERE ALSO RESTRICTIONS YES MANDATORY HIJAB BECAME LAW WOMEN FACED RESTRICTIONS IN SOME LEGAL AREAS LIKE DIVORCE CHILD CUSTODY AND INHERITANCE SOME PROFESSIONS HAD LIMITATIONS HOW DO IRANIAN WOMEN NAVIGATE THIS WITH INCREDIBLE CREATIVITY RESILIENCE AND DIVERSE STRATEGIES SOME WORK WITHIN THE SYSTEM TO EXPAND RIGHTS OTHERS CHALLENGE RESTRICTIONS THROUGH ACTIVISM MANY NEGOTIATE THEIR DAILY LIVES BALANCING LEGAL REQUIREMENTS WITH PERSONAL CHOICES

6:55 LET'S TALK ABOUT EDUCATION WHAT'S THE CURRENT SITUATION THIS MIGHT SURPRISE PEOPLE IRANIAN WOMEN ARE HIGHLY EDUCATED OVER 60% OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN IRAN ARE WOMEN WAIT REALLY THAT'S HIGHER THAN MANY WESTERN COUNTRIES EXACTLY IRANIAN WOMEN EXCEL IN STEM FIELDS MEDICINE ENGINEERING HUMANITIES THIS HAS BEEN TRUE FOR DECADES SO THE STEREOTYPE OF UNEDUCATED OPPRESSED WOMEN IS COMPLETELY WRONG COMPLETELY IRANIAN WOMEN ARE AMONG THE MOST EDUCATED IN THE REGION THEY DOMINATE UNIVERSITIES DESPITE FACING OTHER LEGAL AND SOCIAL RESTRICTIONS WHY THE HIGH EDUCATION RATES MULTIPLE FACTORS

7:41 IRANIAN CULTURE HIGHLY VALUES EDUCATION FOR BOTH GENDERS FAMILIES PRIORITIZE CHILDREN'S EDUCATION AND FRANKLY EDUCATION IS ONE AREA WHERE WOMEN CAN EXCEL DESPITE OTHER RESTRICTIONS WHAT FIELDS DO THEY STUDY EVERYTHING MEDICINE ENGINEERING COMPUTER SCIENCE PHYSICS CHEMISTRY LITERATURE LAW SOCIAL SCIENCES IRAN PRODUCES HIGHLY QUALIFIED FEMALE DOCTORS ENGINEERS AND SCIENTISTS WHAT ABOUT WORK CAN THEY USE THEIR EDUCATION THIS IS COMPLICATED WOMEN CAN WORK AND DO WORK IN MANY FIELDS IRAN HAS FEMALE DOCTORS PROFESSORS BUSINESS OWNERS AND ENGINEERS HOWEVER THEY FACE CHALLENGES

8:27 LIKE GENDER SEGREGATION IN SOME WORKPLACES RESTRICTIONS IN CERTAIN PROFESSIONS LIKE JUDGE SHIP AND SOCIAL PRESSURES SO THEY'RE EDUCATED BUT MAY FACE BARRIERS TO USING THAT EDUCATION SOMETIMES YES THOUGH MANY WOMEN DO WORK SUCCESSFULLY IT DEPENDS ON THE FIELD THE FAMILY AND THE INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES LET'S TALK ABOUT IRANIAN WOMEN'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOCIETY WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE KNOW IRANIAN WOMEN HAVE CONTRIBUTED ENORMOUSLY TO ARTS SCIENCES LITERATURE SPORTS AND CIVIL SOCIETY THROUGHOUT HISTORY AND TODAY GIVE ME SOME EXAMPLES IN LITERATURE SAMINE BEHBHAVANI WAS A RENOWNED POET NOMINATED FOR THE NOBEL PRIZE

9:13 AZAR NAFISI WROTE LIBERATING LOLITA IN TEHRAN WHICH BECAME AN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER WHAT ABOUT SCIENCES MARIAM MIRZAKHANI WAS AN IRANIAN MATHEMATICIAN WHO WON THE FIELDS MEDAL THE HIGHEST HONOR IN MATHEMATICS SHE WAS THE FIRST WOMAN EVER TO RECEIVE IT THAT'S INCREDIBLE YES HER WORK IN GEOMETRY AND DYNAMICS WAS GROUNDBREAKING SHE STUDIED AT SHARIF UNIVERSITY IN TEHRAN AND HARVARD AND BECAME A PROFESSOR AT STANFORD WHAT ABOUT OTHER FIELDS IN FILM DIRECTORS LIKE SAMIRA MAKMABALL AND ACTRESSES LIKE GOLSHIFTE FARAHANI HAVE GAINED INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION IRANIAN CINEMA HAS A STRONG TRADITION OF ACCOMPLISHED WOMEN FILMMAKERS

10:00 SPORTS IRANIAN WOMEN COMPETE INTERNATIONALLY IN SPORTS LIKE SKIING ARCHERY SHOOTING AND CHESS KAMIA ALIZADEH WON IRAN'S FIRST OLYMPIC MEDAL WON BY A WOMAN IN TAEKWONDO AT THE 2016 RIO OLYMPICS SO IRANIAN WOMEN ARE ACHIEVING AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS GLOBALLY ABSOLUTELY DESPITE RESTRICTIONS THEY FACE THEY'RE PRODUCING WORLD CLASS WORK IN EVERY FIELD LET'S TALK ABOUT ACTIVISM WHAT ARE IRANIAN WOMEN FIGHTING FOR IRANIAN WOMEN HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF ACTIVISM FOR EXPANDED RIGHTS THEY WORK FOR LEGAL REFORMS IN MARRIAGE DIVORCE CUSTODY AND EMPLOYMENT THEY ADVOCATE AGAINST MANDATORY HIJAB THEY FIGHT FOR EQUALITY IN INHERITANCE

10:47 AND TESTIMONY LAWS HOW DO THEY ADVOCATE IN MANY WAYS SOME WORK THROUGH OFFICIAL CHANNELS PROPOSING REFORMS TO PARLIAMENT OTHERS USE ART FILM AND LITERATURE TO CRITIQUE RESTRICTIONS SOME ENGAGE IN CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MANY USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO ORGANIZE AND SHARE THEIR VOICES CAN YOU GIVE HISTORICAL EXAMPLES IN 2006 IRANIAN WOMEN LAUNCHED THE ONE MILLION SIGNATURES CAMPAIGN TO CHANGE DISCRIMINATORY LAWS THEY COLLECTED SIGNATURES AND RAISED AWARENESS DESPITE GOVERNMENT OPPOSITION WHAT ABOUT RECENT ACTIVISM THE PROTESTS FOLLOWING MASHA AMINI'S DEATH IN 2022 WERE LED SIGNIFICANTLY BY WOMEN AND GIRLS DEMANDING FREEDOM OF CHOICE

11:34 REGARDING HIJAB AND BROADER RIGHTS HOW DO WE DISCUSS THESE PROTESTS IN ENGLISH RESPECTFULLY USE ACCURATE LANGUAGE SAY IRANIAN WOMEN PROTESTING FOR FREEDOM OF CHOICE NOT WOMEN WHO HATE ISLAM OR WESTERN INFLUENCED WOMEN ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR AGENCY THEY'RE FIGHTING FOR THEIR OWN VISION OF THEIR COUNTRY NOT MIMICKING THE WEST SO HONOR THEIR VOICES AND MOTIVATIONS EXACTLY DON'T SPEAK FOR THEM AMPLIFY THEIR ACTUAL VOICES AND STATED GOALS LET'S DISCUSS HIJAB SPECIFICALLY SINCE IT'S SO VISIBLE AND OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD THIS IS CRUCIAL HIJAB IN IRAN EXISTS ON MULTIPLE LEVELS

12:21 LEGAL REQUIREMENT RELIGIOUS PRACTICE CULTURAL TRADITION AND PERSONAL CHOICE OR LACK THEREOF EXPLAIN THE LEGAL ASPECT SINCE 1979 HIJAB HAS BEEN LEGALLY MANDATORY FOR WOMEN IN PUBLIC SPACES IN IRAN THIS MEANS WOMEN MUST COVER THEIR HAIR AND WEAR MODEST CLOTHING HOW IS THIS ENFORCED ENFORCEMENT VARIES OVER TIME AND LOCATION SOMETIMES IT'S STRICTLY ENFORCED WITH MORALITY POLICE CHECKING COMPLIANCE OTHER TIMES IT'S MORE RELAXED THIS INCONSISTENCY ITSELF CREATES TENSION WHAT ABOUT PERSONAL CHOICE WITHIN THIS FRAMEWORK THIS IS WHERE IT GETS NUANCED SOME IRANIAN WOMEN WEAR HIJAB

13:08 BECAUSE THEY GENUINELY CHOOSE TO FOR RELIGIOUS REASONS OTHERS WEAR IT ONLY BECAUSE IT'S LEGALLY REQUIRED AND WOULD PREFER NOT TO STILL OTHERS HAVE COMPLEX FEELINGS THEY MIGHT VALUE MODESTY BUT OPPOSE MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS SO HIJAB MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT WOMEN EXACTLY YOU CANNOT ASSUME A WOMAN'S BELIEFS EDUCATION LEVEL OR POLITICAL VIEWS BASED ON WHETHER OR HOW SHE WEARS HIJAB WHAT MISTAKES DO ENGLISH SPEAKERS MAKE WHEN DISCUSSING HIJAB ASSUMING ALL WOMEN WHO WEAR HIJAB ARE OPPRESSED OR UNEDUCATED OR ASSUMING ALL WOMEN WHO OPPOSE MANDATORY HIJAB ARE ANTI RELIGION OR PRO WESTERN

13:56 BOTH ASSUMPTIONS ERASE WOMEN'S AGENCY HOW SHOULD WE TALK ABOUT IT DISTINGUISH BETWEEN CHOICE AND COMPULSION MANDATORY HIJAB LAWS VERSUS CHOOSING TO WEAR HIJAB RECOGNIZE THAT MANY IRANIAN WOMEN WANT THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE WHETHER THEY CHOOSE TO COVER OR NOT SO IT'S ABOUT FREEDOM OF CHOICE NOT THE HIJAB ITSELF FOR MANY ACTIVISTS YES THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY AGAINST HIJAB THEY'RE AGAINST MANDATORY HIJAB THEY WANT WOMEN TO HAVE THE CHOICE LET'S DISCUSS FAMILY DYNAMICS WHAT ROLES DO IRANIAN WOMEN HAVE IRANIAN WOMEN ARE DAUGHTERS MOTHERS WIVES SISTERS AND INCREASINGLY FAMILY BREADWINNERS

14:44 FAMILY IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN IRANIAN CULTURE ARE FAMILIES TRADITIONAL IT VARIES ENORMOUSLY SOME FAMILIES ARE VERY TRADITIONAL WITH DEFINED GENDER ROLES OTHERS ARE MORE EGALITARIAN URBAN VERSUS RURAL RELIGIOUS VERSUS SECULAR EDUCATED VERSUS LESS EDUCATED ALL THESE FACTORS AFFECT FAMILY DYNAMICS WHAT ABOUT MARRIAGE MARRIAGE PATTERNS ARE CHANGING THE AVERAGE AGE OF MARRIAGE IS RISING MORE WOMEN ARE PRIORITIZING EDUCATION AND CAREER BEFORE MARRIAGE DIVORCE RATES HAVE INCREASED PARTICULARLY INITIATED BY WOMEN WOMEN CAN INITIATE DIVORCE YES THOUGH THE LEGAL PROCESS IS MORE CHALLENGING

15:29 FOR WOMEN THAN MEN IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES MANY WOMEN NEGOTIATE MARRIAGE CONTRACTS THAT INCLUDE SPECIFIC RIGHTS WHAT ARE MARRIAGE CONTRACTS IN ISLAMIC MARRIAGE LAW COUPLES CAN NEGOTIATE CONTRACT TERMS SAVVY WOMEN INCLUDE CLAUSES GIVING THEM RIGHTS TO EDUCATION WORK DIVORCE UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS AND MORE SO WOMEN ARE USING LEGAL TOOLS AVAILABLE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES EXACTLY IRANIAN WOMEN ARE OFTEN VERY STRATEGIC AND KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT WORKING WITHIN AND AROUND THE LEGAL SYSTEM LET'S TALK ABOUT STEREOTYPES WHAT ARE THE MOST HARMFUL ONES THE BIGGEST STEREOTYPE IS THAT IRANIAN WOMEN ARE HELPLESS VICTIMS WITH NO AGENCY

16:15 THIS COMPLETELY ERASES THEIR INTELLIGENCE STRATEGIES ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVISM WHAT ELSE THAT ALL IRANIAN WOMEN THINK AND FEEL THE SAME WAY SOME SUPPORT CURRENT LAWS OTHERS OPPOSE THEM SOME ARE RELIGIOUS OTHERS AREN'T SOME ARE CONSERVATIVE OTHERS PROGRESSIVE THE DIVERSITY ISN'T ACKNOWLEDGED RARELY WESTERN MEDIA OFTEN PRESENTS A SINGLE NARRATIVE EITHER ALL IRANIAN WOMEN ARE OPPRESSED AND NEED SAVING OR THEY'RE ALL HAPPY WITH THEIR SITUATION NEITHER IS TRUE WHAT ABOUT THE STEREOTYPE OF IRANIAN WOMEN BEING UNEDUCATED THAT'S COMPLETELY FALSE AS WE DISCUSSED IRANIAN WOMEN ARE HIGHLY EDUCATED

17:01 THE CHALLENGE IS NOT EDUCATION BUT USING THAT EDUCATION IN A SYSTEM WITH SOME RESTRICTIONS HOW DO WE AVOID STEREOTYPING IN ENGLISH CONVERSATIONS USE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE DON'T SAY IRANIAN WOMEN ARE OPPRESSED SAY SOME IRANIAN WOMEN FACE SPECIFIC LEGAL RESTRICTIONS OR IRANIAN WOMEN HAVE DIVERSE EXPERIENCES SO AVOID GENERALIZATIONS YES AND ALWAYS ACKNOWLEDGE AGENCY IRANIAN WOMEN ARE NOT PASSIVE THEY'RE ACTIVE AGENTS IN THEIR OWN LIVES MAKING CHOICES FIGHTING FOR CHANGE AND NAVIGATING COMPLEX REALITIES LET'S DISCUSS HOW TO TALK ABOUT IRANIAN WOMEN IN DIFFERENT CONTEXTS

17:47 GREAT IDEA IN ACADEMIC OR FORMAL CONTEXTS USE PRECISE TERMINOLOGY AND CITE SOURCES ACCORDING TO HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH OR IRANIAN WOMEN'S RIGHTS ACTIVISTS STATE WHAT ABOUT CASUAL CONVERSATION STILL BE RESPECTFUL AND ACCURATE YOU MIGHT SAY I READ THAT MANY IRANIAN WOMEN ARE HIGHLY EDUCATED BUT FACE SOME LEGAL RESTRICTIONS OR IRANIAN WOMEN HAVE BEEN PROTESTING FOR EXPANDED RIGHTS IF SOMEONE SHARES THEIR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE LISTEN WITHOUT CORRECTING OR GENERALIZING IF AN IRANIAN WOMAN SAYS I FELT RESTRICTED DON'T SAY BUT IRANIAN WOMEN ARE EDUCATED HER EXPERIENCE IS VALID IF ANOTHER SAYS I CHOSE TO WEAR HIJAB AND I'M EMPOWERED

18:34 DON'T SAY YOU'RE BRAINWASHED HER CHOICE IS VALID TOO SO HONOR INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCES ALWAYS PEOPLE'S LIVED EXPERIENCES TRUMPS STATISTICS AND GENERALIZATIONS WHAT VOCABULARY SHOULD WE USE WHEN DISCUSSING WOMEN'S RIGHTS AGENCY MEANS THE CAPACITY TO MAKE INDEPENDENT CHOICES AUTONOMY MEANS SELF GOVERNANCE EMPOWERMENT MEANS INCREASING SOMEONE'S ABILITY TO MAKE CHOICES AND CONTROL THEIR LIFE WHAT ABOUT OPPRESSION USE CAREFULLY OPPRESSION MEANS PROLONGED CRUEL OR UNJUST TREATMENT SOME IRANIAN WOMEN EXPERIENCE THIS BUT NOT ALL BE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING RATHER THAN LABELLING ALL WOMEN OPPRESSED RESTRICTION

19:20 RESTRICTION IS OFTEN MORE ACCURATE RESTRICTIONS ON WOMEN'S DRESS OR RESTRICTIONS ON WOMEN SERVING AS JUDGES DESCRIBE SPECIFIC LIMITATIONS WITHOUT MAKING SWEEPING CLAIMS LET'S TALK ABOUT INTERSECTIONALITY WHAT DOES THAT MEAN INTERSECTIONALITY MEANS RECOGNIZING THAT PEOPLE HAVE MULTIPLE IDENTITIES THAT INTERSECT GENDER CLASS ETHNICITY RELIGION EDUCATION LOCATION HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO IRANIAN WOMEN AN UPPER CLASS EDUCATED WOMAN IN TEHRAN HAS VERY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES THAN A WORKING CLASS RURAL WOMAN AN ETHNIC MINORITY WOMAN FACES DIFFERENT CHALLENGES THAN AN ETHNIC PERSIAN WOMAN RELIGION AGE FAMILY BACKGROUND ALL THESE FACTORS CREATE DIFFERENT REALITIES

20:06 SO WE CAN'T TREAT ALL IRANIAN WOMEN AS A SINGLE GROUP NEVER CONTEXT AND INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES MATTER ENORMOUSLY WHAT ABOUT THE DIASPORA IRANIAN WOMEN LIVING OUTSIDE IRAN THE IRANIAN DIASPORA INCLUDES MILLIONS OF WOMEN WITH DIVERSE EXPERIENCES SOME LEFT IRAN DECADES AGO OTHERS RECENTLY SOME FLED OTHERS EMIGRATED FOR EDUCATION OR WORK DO THEY MAINTAIN IRANIAN IDENTITY OFTEN YES WHILE ALSO INTEGRATING INTO THEIR NEW COUNTRIES THEY CELEBRATE PERSIAN NEW YEAR SPEAK FARSI AT HOME COOK PERSIAN FOOD AND MAINTAIN CULTURAL TRADITIONS WHAT ABOUT THEIR PERSPECTIVES ON WOMEN'S ISSUES IN IRAN THESE VARY SOME DIASPORA WOMEN ARE VERY VOCAL ABOUT

20:54 WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN IRAN OTHERS FOCUS ON LIFE IN THEIR NEW COUNTRIES SOME MAINTAIN COMPLEX NOSTALGIC RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR HOMELAND LET'S DISCUSS HOW IRANIAN WOMEN CHALLENGE STEREOTYPES THROUGH EXCELLENCE VISIBILITY AND VOICE IRANIAN WOMEN ATHLETES COMPETING INTERNATIONALLY SCIENTISTS PUBLISHING GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH FILMMAKERS WINNING AWARDS THEY ALL CHALLENGE STEREOTYPES SIMPLY BY EXISTING AND EXCELLING WHAT ROLE DOES SOCIAL MEDIA PLAY HUGE IRANIAN WOMEN USE INSTAGRAM TWITTER WHEN ACCESSIBLE TELEGRAM AND OTHER PLATFORMS TO SHARE THEIR LIVES ART ACTIVISM AND PERSPECTIVES DIRECTLY SO THEY'RE NOT WAITING FOR OTHERS TO SPEAK FOR THEM

21:41 EXACTLY THEY'RE TELLING THEIR OWN STORIES IN THEIR OWN WORDS THIS IS WHY FOLLOWING IRANIAN WOMEN ON SOCIAL MEDIA IS SO IMPORTANT YOU GET UNFILTERED PERSPECTIVES WHAT CAN PEOPLE DO TO LEARN MORE AUTHENTICALLY READ BOOKS BY IRANIAN WOMEN AUTHORS WATCH FILMS BY IRANIAN WOMEN DIRECTORS FOLLOW IRANIAN WOMEN ACTIVISTS JOURNALISTS AND ARTISTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA LISTEN TO THEIR PODCASTS ENGAGE WITH THEIR WORK DIRECTLY NOT JUST READ WESTERN MEDIA ABOUT THEM RIGHT PRIMARY SOURCES FROM IRANIAN WOMEN THEMSELVES PROVIDE MUCH RICHER MORE NUANCED UNDERSTANDING THAN SECONDARY SOURCES INTERPRETING THEIR EXPERIENCES BEFORE WE MOVE TO VOCABULARY WHAT'S YOUR MAIN TAKEAWAY ABOUT IRANIAN WOMEN

22:27 THAT THEY'RE COMPLEX HUMAN BEINGS BRILLIANT RESILIENT DIVERSE STRATEGIC CREATIVE AND POWERFUL IN WAYS THAT OFTEN GO UNRECOGNIZED NOT VICTIMS OR SYMBOLS BUT FULL HUMAN BEINGS EXACTLY WITH AGENCY VOICES ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND THE RIGHT TO DEFINE THEIR OWN STRUGGLES AND VICTORIES BEAUTIFULLY SAID LET'S DO THE VOCABULARY REVIEW

30:37 JANE WHAT AN IMPORTANT AND NUANCED CONVERSATION WE'VE HAD TODAY WE EXPLORED THE HISTORY OF IRANIAN WOMEN THEIR REMARKABLE EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO ARTS AND SCIENCES THEIR ACTIVISM AND THE COMPLEX REALITIES THEY NAVIGATE WE EMPHASIZED THE DIVERSITY OF IRANIAN WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES AND THE IMPORTANCE OF RECOGNIZING THEIR AGENCY AND HEARING THEIR VOICES AND WE GAVE YOU ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY FOR DISCUSSING WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES AND RIGHTS WITH ACCURACY AND RESPECT NOW WE WANNA HEAR FROM YOU HERE'S OUR QUESTION OF THE DAY HAVE YOU LEARNED SOMETHING THAT CHALLENGED YOUR ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT IRANIAN WOMEN OR IF YOU'RE AN IRANIAN WOMAN

31:23 OR HAVE IRANIAN WOMEN IN YOUR FAMILY WHAT'S SOMETHING YOU WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS EXPERIENCES AND PERSPECTIVES IN THE COMMENTS BELOW WE ESPECIALLY VALUE HEARING FROM IRANIAN WOMEN THEMSELVES YOUR VOICES ARE ESSENTIAL TO THIS CONVERSATION IF THIS EPISODE HELPED YOU UNDERSTAND IRANIAN WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES BEYOND STEREOTYPES OR GAVE YOU TOOLS FOR DISCUSSING WOMEN'S RIGHTS RESPECTFULLY PLEASE GIVE IT A THUMBS UP DON'T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE TO EASY TALK AND TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS WE EXPLORE GLOBAL TOPICS THAT HELP YOU GROW AS AN ENGLISH SPEAKER AND AN INFORMED GLOBAL CITIZEN SHARE THIS EPISODE WITH FRIENDS CLASSMATES OR ANYONE INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING WOMEN'S DIVERSE EXPERIENCES WORLDWIDE

32:12 DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK AND TIKTOK AT EASY TALK PODCAST FOR DAILY CONTENT ON CULTURE SOCIETY AND LANGUAGE LEARNING VISIT EASYTALKPODCAST.COM FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES INCLUDING READING LISTS AND DISCUSSION GUIDES BEFORE WE GO WE WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS THOUGHT BEHIND EVERY STATISTIC IS A HUMAN BEING BEHIND EVERY HEADLINE IS A WOMAN WITH DREAMS TALENTS STRUGGLES AND AGENCY IRANIAN WOMEN ARE NOT SYMBOLS OR ABSTRACTIONS THEY'RE MATHEMATICIANS LIKE MARYAM MIRZAKHANI THEY'RE POETS ENGINEERS ATHLETES MOTHERS ACTIVISTS AND STUDENTS THEY'RE MAKING CHOICES EVERY DAY WITHIN THE SYSTEMS THEY INHABIT

32:59 THEY'RE FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHTS THEY BELIEVE IN THEY'RE RAISING THE NEXT GENERATION THEY'RE CREATING ART ADVANCING SCIENCE AND BUILDING BUSINESSES WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IRANIAN WOMEN WE MUST RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO SPEAK FOR THEM AND INSTEAD AMPLIFY THEIR VOICES WE MUST RECOGNIZE THEIR DIVERSITY NOT ALL IRANIAN WOMEN THINK ALIKE OR HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCES OR WANTS AND WE MUST HONOR THEIR AGENCY THEY ARE NOT WAITING TO BE SAVED THEY ARE ACTIVELY SHAPING THEIR LIVES THEIR COMMUNITIES AND THEIR COUNTRY'S FUTURE USE YOUR ENGLISH TO ENGAGE WITH COMPLEXITY READ WORKS BY IRANIAN WOMEN WATCH FILMS THEY'VE CREATED FOLLOW THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA LISTEN TO THEIR PODCASTS

33:45 THANK YOU FOR ENGAGING WITH THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING NUANCE OVER STEREOTYPES AND HUMANITY OVER HEADLINES I'M JANE AND I'M MIKE AND THIS HAS BEEN EASY TALK UNTIL NEXT TIME KEEP LEARNING KEEP LISTENING TO DIVERSE VOICES AND KEEP RECOGNIZING THE AGENCY IN EVERY PERSON'S STORY GOODBYE EVERYONE REMEMBER WOMEN ARE EXPERTS ON THEIR OWN LIVES DIVERSITY IS REALITY AND UNDERSTANDING BEGINS WITH LISTENING HOLD OFFICE THIS EPISODE DISCUSSES IRANIAN WOMEN WITH DEEP RESPECT FOR THEIR DIVERSE EXPERIENCES PERSPECTIVES AND AGENCY WE'VE AIMED TO PRESENT FACTS

34:30 WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT IRANIAN WOMEN ARE NOT A MONOLITH AND SPEAK WITH MANY VOICES WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE VIEWERS TO ENGAGE DIRECTLY WITH WORKS BY IRANIAN WOMEN THEIR BOOKS FILMS ART AND SOCIAL MEDIA RATHER THAN RELYING SOLELY ON EXTERNAL INTERPRETATIONS OUR GOAL IS TO PROVIDE LANGUAGE SKILLS AND FRAMEWORKS FOR RESPECTFUL NUANCED DISCUSSION THAT CENTERS IRANIAN WOMEN'S VOICES AND ACKNOWLEDGES THEIR HUMANITY INTELLIGENCE AND AGENCY ALL RIGHT EVERYONE TIME FOR OUR QUICK VOCABULARY REVIEW I'M GOING TO TEACH YOU 10 ESSENTIAL WORDS AND PHRASES FOR DISCUSSING WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES RIGHTS AND AGENCY IN IRAN AND BEYOND WORD NO. 1 AGENCY THIS CRUCIAL NOUN MEANS THE CAPACITY OF INDIVIDUALS TO ACT INDEPENDENTLY AND MAKE THEIR OWN FREE CHOICES FOR EXAMPLE IRANIAN WOMEN DEMONSTRATE AGENCY BY USING MARRIAGE CONTRACTS TO SECURE RIGHTS OR WE MUST RECOGNIZE WOMEN'S AGENCY IN MAKING THEIR OWN DECISIONS IT'S PRONOUNCED AGENCY AGENCY IS THE OPPOSITE OF HELPLESSNESS IT ACKNOWLEDGES THAT PEOPLE HAVE POWER TO MAKE CHOICES EVEN WITHIN CONSTRAINED SYSTEMS WHEN DISCUSSING ANY GROUP ESPECIALLY WOMEN IN RESTRICTIVE CONTEXTS ACKNOWLEDGING AGENCY IS ESSENTIAL TO RESPECTING THEIR HUMANITY NO.2 AUTONOMY THIS NOUN MEANS THE RIGHT OR CONDITION OF SELF GOVERNMENT INDEPENDENCE AND FREEDOM TO MAKE ONE'S OWN CHOICES ESPECIALLY REGARDING ONE'S BODY AND LIFE FOR EXAMPLE WOMEN'S AUTONOMY INCLUDES DECISIONS ABOUT EDUCATION WORK AND PERSONAL APPEARANCE OR BODILY AUTONOMY MEANS CONTROL OVER ONE'S OWN BODY IT'S PRONOUNCED AUTONOMY THE ADJECTIVE IS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMY IS A FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPT IN WOMEN'S RIGHTS DISCUSSIONS GLOBALLY IT'S ABOUT SELF DETERMINATION AND INDEPENDENCE WORD NO. 3 MANDATORY THIS ADJECTIVE MEANS REQUIRED BY LAW OR RULES COMPULSORY FOR EXAMPLE MANDATORY HIJAB LAWS REQUIRE WOMEN TO COVER THEIR HAIR IN PUBLIC OR ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY IT'S PRONOUNCED MANDATORY THIS WORD IS CRUCIAL FOR DISCUSSING IRAN BECAUSE IT DISTINGUISHES BETWEEN CHOICE AND COMPULSION MANDATORY HIJAB VERSUS CHOOSING TO WEAR HIJAB ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CONCEPTS MANDATORY MEANS THERE'S NO CHOICE IT'S REQUIRED THE NOUN IS MANDATE WORD NO. 4 EMPOWERMENT THIS NOUN MEANS THE PROCESS OF BECOMING STRONGER AND MORE CONFIDENT ESPECIALLY IN CONTROLLING ONE'S LIFE AND CLAIMING ONE'S RIGHTS FOR EXAMPLE EDUCATION IS A TOOL FOR WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT OR ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT GIVES WOMEN FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE IT'S PRONOUNCED EMPOWERMENT THE VERB IS EMPOWER EMPOWERMENT DOESN'T MEAN GIVING POWER TO SOMEONE IT MEANS SUPPORTING THEM IN CLAIMING POWER THEY ALREADY HAVE IT'S ABOUT REMOVING BARRIERS AND PROVIDING TOOLS AND RESOURCES WORD NO. 5 LITERACY THIS NOUN MEANS THE ABILITY TO READ AND WRITE OR COMPETENCE OR KNOWLEDGE IN A SPECIFIED AREA FOR EXAMPLE FEMALE LITERACY RATES IN IRAN HAVE INCREASED DRAMATICALLY SINCE THE 1980S OR DIGITAL LITERACY IS ESSENTIAL IN THE MODERN WORLD IT'S PRONOUNCED LITERACY THE ADJECTIVE IS LITERATE LITERACY IS A KEY INDICATOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND WOMEN'S RIGHTS WHEN WOMEN CAN READ AND WRITE THEY CAN ACCESS INFORMATION EDUCATION AND OPPORTUNITIES IRAN'S FEMALE LITERACY IMPROVEMENT IS A SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENT WORD NO. 6 DISCRIMINATION THIS NOUN MEANS THE UNJUST OR PREJUDICIAL TREATMENT OF DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF PEOPLE ESPECIALLY ON GROUNDS OF RACE AGE GENDER OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION FOR EXAMPLE GENDER DISCRIMINATION IN HIRING PRACTICES IS ILLEGAL IN MANY COUNTRIES OR ACTIVISTS FIGHT AGAINST DISCRIMINATION IN LEGAL SYSTEMS IT'S PRONOUNCED DISCRIMINATION THE VERB IS DISCRIMINATE DISCRIMINATORY LAWS OR PRACTICES TREAT PEOPLE UNEQUALLY BASED ON CHARACTERISTICS LIKE GENDER THIS IS A KEY TERM IN DISCUSSIONS OF WOMEN'S RIGHTS GLOBALLY WORD NO. 7 ACTIVISM THIS NOUN MEANS THE POLICY OR ACTION OF USING VIGOROUS CAMPAIGNING TO BRING ABOUT POLITICAL OR SOCIAL CHANGE FOR EXAMPLE IRANIAN WOMEN HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF ACTIVISM FOR LEGAL REFORM OR ONLINE ACTIVISM HAS BECOME POWERFUL FOR RAISING AWARENESS IT'S PRONOUNCED ACTIVISM A PERSON WHO ENGAGES IN ACTIVISM IS AN ACTIVIST ACTIVISM CAN TAKE MANY FORMS PROTESTS PETITIONS ART WRITING CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE OR WORKING WITHIN SYSTEMS FOR REFORM IRANIAN WOMEN EMPLOYED DIVERSE ACTIVIST STRATEGIES WORD NO. 8 PATRIARCHY THIS NOUN MEANS A SYSTEM OF SOCIETY OR GOVERNMENT IN WHICH MEN HOLD THE POWER AND WOMEN ARE LARGELY EXCLUDED FROM IT OR A SOCIETY ORGANIZED ACCORDING TO THIS SYSTEM FOR EXAMPLE FEMINIST MOVEMENTS CHALLENGE PATRIARCHAL STRUCTURES OR PATRIARCHY AFFECTS BOTH MEN AND WOMEN THOUGH DIFFERENTLY IT'S PRONOUNCED PATRIARCHY THE ADJECTIVE IS PATRIARCHAL THIS IS A SOCIOLOGICAL TERM DESCRIBING GENDER BASED POWER SYSTEMS IT'S USED GLOBALLY TO DISCUSS GENDER INEQUALITY AND IS NOT SPECIFIC TO ANY ONE CULTURE OR RELIGION WORD NO. 9 STEREOTYPE WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS BEFORE BUT IT'S CRUCIAL HERE A STEREOTYPE IS AN OVERSIMPLIFIED GENERALIZED IDEA ABOUT A PARTICULAR GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT'S OFTEN INACCURATE OR UNFAIR FOR EXAMPLE THE STEREOTYPE THAT ALL WOMEN WHO WEAR HIJAB ARE OPPRESSED IS FALSE OR MEDIA STEREOTYPES PREVENT UNDERSTANDING OF COMPLEX REALITIES IT'S PRONOUNCED STEREOTYPE THE VERB IS STEREOTYPE COMBATING STEREOTYPES ABOUT IRANIAN WOMEN REQUIRE HEARING DIVERSE VOICES AND RECOGNIZING INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCES STEREOTYPES ERASE COMPLEXITY AND HUMANITY AND OUR FINAL WORD NO. 10 INTERSECTIONALITY THIS NOUN MEANS THE INTERCONNECTED NATURE OF SOCIAL CATEGORIZATIONS SUCH AS RACE CLASS AND GENDER CREATING OVERLAPPING SYSTEMS OF DISCRIMINATION OR DISADVANTAGE FOR EXAMPLE INTERSECTIONALITY HELPS US UNDERSTAND THAT IRANIAN WOMEN HAVE DIVERSE EXPERIENCES BASED ON CLASS ETHNICITY AND LOCATION OR INTERSECTIONAL FEMINISM CONSIDERS MULTIPLE IDENTITIES INTERSECTIONALITY PRONOUNCED INTERSECTIONALITY RECOGNIZES THAT PEOPLE HAVE MULTIPLE IDENTITIES THAT INTERACT A WOMAN'S EXPERIENCE IS SHAPED NOT JUST BY GENDER BUT ALSO BY CLASS RACE RELIGION AGE AND MORE THERE YOU HAVE IT 10 ESSENTIAL WORDS AGENCY AUTONOMY MANDATORY EMPOWERMENT LITERACY DISCRIMINATION ACTIVISM PATRIARCHY STEREOTYPE AND INTERSECTIONALITY MASTER THESE WORDS AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DISCUSS WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES AND RIGHTS WITH SOPHISTICATION AND NUANCE