The painful and obvious truth about our society today is that, if there is a single social and political issue on which one can see complete agreement—and even an alliance—between the most dogmatic strata of Iran’s present political establishment and the general culture of society across all social classes, it is our social view of women and their social rights.

From economically and culturally disadvantaged groups to the traditional middle class and even the educated classes, when we come to women and the social treatment of their rights, we all participate in an astonishing and unexamined harmony in the exercise of this systemic social violence under the names of “honour” (*nāmus*) and “protective zeal” (*gheyrat*). If it were otherwise, the oppression endured by your sisters and mine, and by Iranian women, could not continue even for a single day.

This pervasive violence has become part of the dominant culture through the reduction—and even inversion—of the meaning of ancient and valuable concepts in our culture such as *rādmardi* and *javānmardi* (nobility, chivalry and magnanimity), replacing them with the ominous substitutes of *gheyrat* and *nāmus*. It is sustained and represented by a large part of our society.

Had *rādmardi* and *javānmardi*, which were genuine historical values in our culture, not yielded their place to such a sinister substitute, it would not be possible for our men to display veins in their necks as thick as ropes toward the women of their own households while maintaining a silence of consent toward the suffering inflicted every day upon the women of their land.

It is interesting to note that, for centuries, both *gheyrat* and *nāmus* appeared in Iranian literature and historical culture as strongly reproached words.

“His enemies tear him apart out of *gheyrat* [jealousy and envy] — / his friends too carry away his days.”
— Rumi —

“How long this *nāmus*, deception and hypocrisy? … / Repent of all three and be truly faithful.”
— Attar —

*Nāmus*, *gheyrat* and prejudice are unspeakable taboos in our society today.
It is not only others who are afraid to question *nāmus* and *gheyrat*; you and I, too, are afraid to question this inversion of our historical culture.

Ours is a society in which even being “without prejudice”—the first condition of freedom, a free spirit and learning—is treated as an insult, let alone being called without *gheyrat* or without *nāmus*.

It is a society so caught in the dark spell of misunderstanding and an inverted conception of honour and chivalry that many of its men legitimise repression, discrimination and violence against their sisters, mothers, wives and daughters in the names of *gheyrat*, *nāmus* and prejudice. It is time for you and me to end our silence before this destructive inversion of values and of the meanings of the words dominant in our culture.
#Chivalry_or_Gheyrat
#Love_or_Namus

Aydin Areta