Zanan, Disappearing Women

Much to the annoyance & exasperation of both Jadi & Naj the Iranian authorities forced the closing down of Zanan magazine by cancelling their license, the only women’s mag in Iran-

Jadi- Zanan (means Women) used to be a “moderated” magazine. It never wrote anything extreme to prevent it’s closing but now, after 16 years the only Persian Women’s Magazine is closed.

Naj “I am distressed. This is depressing.
and I am in tears for the hurdles Iran’s best friends, the writers, the journalists, the filmmakers, the historians, the philosphers have to put up with … because a gang of ugly, wicked, low-life, socially-immature, STUPID, PETTY, IDIOTS ARE RUNNING MY COUNTRY ….”

 Zanan’s founder Shahla Sherkat is considered a prime example of Islamic Iranian feminism. She has been accused of ‘offering a dark picture of the Islamic Republic through the pages of Zanan’ and of ‘compromising the psyche and the mental health’ of its readers by providing them with ‘morally questionable information.’ The magazine, has for years been considered a place where controversial topics in Iranian society have been discussed, ranging from domestic violence, to cosmetic surgery and relationships. It has been at the forefront in the fight for fundamental women’s rights in Iran. The magazine has also used very subtle and creative language in order to avoid being shut down.

I think we can all empathise with the feeling of stupid petty idiots fucking up one’s country, ahem. And in case a person of low intelligence has stopped by to read this- criticising the government of Iran does not mean the country should be bombed by America, only a retard thinks bombs improve lives and/or neo-cons/pro-war ‘liberals’ have any motives that could conceivably be considered ‘pure’ in regards to Iran- no this is a stupid bit of authoritarian male chauvinism that I wish could be reversed, that the situation were not so tense that conservative demagogues can get away with this nonsense and that it might be used by other demagogues to advance their blood soaked imperial agenda. I sincerely think that what hope the human race has does depend on women taking power away from men until an equal situation is achieved. So retrograde actions like this not just impoverish the people of Iran but the whole earth.

Here’s a quick slide show of 7 Zanan covers from which the top image is taken.