Tehran Without the Filter: Women, Street Life and Social Change

Tehran After the 2022 Protests

The death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022 after her detention by Iran’s morality police triggered nationwide protests under the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom.”

The protests became one of the most significant episodes of social unrest in the Islamic Republic’s history.

Women removing their head coverings became one of the most recognizable forms of protest.

Although the intensity of demonstrations changed over time, the cultural effects continued.

In particular, the visibility of women without hijab in some Iranian cities increased significantly.

Tehran became one of the most closely watched locations because of its size, political importance and large young population.

Woman, Life, Freedom

The phrase “Woman, Life, Freedom” became internationally associated with the Iranian protest movement.

The slogan originated in the Kurdish political tradition and became widely used during the 2022 protests in Iran.

For many protesters and supporters, it represented demands extending beyond dress regulations. These included women’s rights, personal freedom, political change and broader social transformation.

The movement also changed how international media interpreted images of Iranian women.

A photograph of a woman walking through Tehran without a hijab could now be viewed within the larger context of the social transformation that became visible after 2022.

At the same time, not every woman without a hijab should automatically be described as a political protester.

Individual motivations differ.

October 7, 2026 | 8:24 pm