Gender+Roles+in+Iran+Sidney+Stuart

====Throughout history women have been oppressed. In Iran gender plays a large role in life style. It seems, there are many more expectations by society of the women than that of the men. Women in the history of Iran were at one point not required to wear the veil and seemed to have more freedom of choice but after the Islamic revolution in 1980 women were forced to wear the veil regardless (in public) and required to cover themselves up and dress modestly; hair and skin must be concealed, with the exception of their hands and face. ====

==== Marjane Satrapi in her novel Persepolis teaches us the reader about the changes in her lifestyle, we learn throughout the story that the veil was made obligatory during her childhood, we also learn that during her childhood period schools became segregated and demonstrations for and against the veil were often. Women in Iran face more obstacles than men do, they have more rights now than they had in the past but in some parts of Iran segregation of sexes still exists, women have to sit in the back of bus's in some areas and just recently Iran passed a law making it easier for men to marry two women and harder for women to divorce. Although there are struggles for women, what a lot of people don't know is that Iranian women now a days are well educated. Ninety four percent of all Iranian women attend school, many can "vote, drive, and hold public office." (http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/20757597/ns/today-today_in_iran/t/beyond-veil-lives-women-iran/#.T6gkS8VWI8E)====

[[image:Prophet.jpg width="365" height="240" align="right" caption="Marji Wants to become a prophet: In the next photo we see it is all men prophets and they are confused by a woman prophet."]]
====Only about fifteen percent of the Iranian workforce is made up of women. Unfortunately the women who do work are often underemployed and payed low wages. Generally, in Iran women stay home and the husband or man supports the family. This is not always the case though. Some women are willing to fight back for what is right. In Persepolis, we see many times that Marji and her mom participate in demonstrations they believe in. Women in Iran are becoming more and more able to fight back because of their ability to receive a proper education, and knowledge can be power. Although women in Iran sadly may never be equal to men.====