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Just before the renowned 1848 Woman’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, New York, Tahirih, a renowned Persian theologian, poet and social activist, took her own step to invoke women's rights - an example of bravery that had unthinkable ramifications in 19th-century Persia (currently Iran) - walking into a gathering of men without wearing her veil.

Removing her veil, Tahirih boldly declared that the time for equality between genders had now come. Gender parity was a fundamental part of the Babí faith she had embraced, and four years later she would die for it—suffocated with her own scarf, her corpse unceremoniously thrown into a well.

Even in her death, her declaration echoed into the present: "My life may end, but the struggle of women for their emancipation shall continue."

For centuries now, Iranian women have persistently worked to attain freedom from oppressive laws. The passing of Mahsa Amini in September 2022 ignited protests in the streets with women seeking the equal right to wear, or not to wear, the Islamic head covering known as the hijab, without fear of repercussions.

The Islamist regime established the hijab law in 1983, at the same time as the Iranian government's most shocking act—the execution of 10 Bahá'í women, with the youngest being just 17—who had refused to change their beliefs. This series of condemnable events was met with the indignation of the international public, but also served as a testament to the bravery and firmness in the face of suffering that Iranian women display when faced with unfairness.

Civil disobedience poses a risk to women in Iran even now, however, this hasn't hindered them from doing it. In a clip uploaded by Iranian-American reporter Masih Alinejad to Twitter, we see a female standing in one of Esfahan's noted mosques. Remarkably, the only thing that woman was doing was singing, however, in Iran that activity, by itself, is a crime as the government has disallowed women from singing in public.

This woman will not back down and has no intention of letting her stunning vocal capabilities go unnoticed. Despite the objections of a man who makes his way over to her, she does not miss a beat, continuing her chant and lifting her finger as if to warn him - "Not until I'm done." Miraculously, he immediately stops in his tracks, humbled by her courage and poise.

In a nation where women have been slaughtered for defying the authorities and rebelling against the status quo, such a daring act merits admiration. As ClassicFM reported, the woman was singing a poem from Sufism, an esoteric interpretation of Islam which gave rise to the popular poems of Rumi and Hafiz.

The woman's melodious voice and her air of dignity elicited awe from the commenters.

Iranian women have an extensive record of asserting their inherent freedom through both their vocalizations and activities. As the international community stands unwaveringly by their side, Iran's women will continue to demand that their basic human rights be permanently safeguarded.