Women, Islam & Iran

I attended a play called Beneath The Veil at the John Kennedy Center of Arts, DC this evening.  I really had no idea what I was in for as John and I had purchased the tickets on a whim for something different to do on a Thursday evening.

Beneath the Veil turned out to be a 90 min intermission free powerful production giving a rare glimpse behind the traditional veil worn by millions of women in the Middle East and around the world. It is the thought-provoking work by international award winning actress/activist Mary Apick who tells of stunning stories that expose the systematic and often violent oppression of women and children in namely Iran.

The play had several parallel and interwoven stories being told simultaneously.  There was

* the tale of the Iranian born Canadian photo journalist, Zahra Kazemi who was brutally abused and killed in their prison for taking photos outside a prison during a student protest in Tehran.
* the stoning of Soraya M. Buried up to her neck she was stoned to death on a trumped-up charge of adultery. Unbelieveably the first to cast their stones were her husband, father and sons!
* Neda Soltan known as Iran's angel of freedom. Killed innocently as she watched the Iranian election protests
* a plight of a widower who had to become a prostitute, formerly a teacher, in order to buy milk for her baby

* another woman who was also murdered for lifting her veil
* a 16yr old girl who was caught and publicly humiliated for having posters of Michael Jackson tucked away in her textbooks. She in turned committed suicide

There were a few more stories like these and honestly not only did it leave a bad taste in my mouth but a heavy heart.  I cannot imagine living in a world such as theirs. The daily mental anguish, the inability to voice their opinions, to be something more than just a sexual puppet for men...aarrrggggggghhhhhhh!!!

I wish Mary Apick all the best in using her talent to spread the news on the plight of women in Iran.  Hopefully with the aid of Amnesty International and other similar agencies, something will be done soon. It is not right for women, and/or all humans, to be treated in such manner in the name of religion!