The raised fist: we resist

This image taken in Tokyo 2021 Olympic became one of my best memory in Iran’s sport.In images analyzing, the context in which an image occurs is important. Image is a sign, a form of communication. We are surrounded by the signs; without the signs, we can’t think. By this image above, you see a metonymy, figure by which a concept is expressed by means of a term designating another concept which is united to it by a necessary relation (cause and effect, inclusion, resemblance, etc.). This is raised fist of Farzaneh Fassihi, Iranian sprinter, who failed to reach the semifinals of the 100 meters, but she fought to achieve her goal. We don’t analyze an image as an isolated element in context. Image is a sign in the network of relations. To interpret an image, we are obliged to understand the different elements that participate in the constitution of the production of the signification’s image. It means that this image is not interpretable without considering what occurs in Iran about the women. We also know image is part of language. Language is not limited to the alphabetic, it includes all the phenomena in the context in which we live. By considering all these remarques, we can interpret this image as a sign of resistance of Iranians women who questioned the theocratic power in their life.

We can say that the presence of the women in the different fields defy the conservative approach of the governing body of Iran. Since the Iranian revolution in 1979, the conservatives have wanted to impose a form of islamisation by adopting the homogenization policy. They wanted all the women wear Chador, a long veil, going from the feet to the head, which nevertheless reveals the entire face. But it was a mission impossible. After more than four decades, the theocratic power became tired of the resistance of Iranians women that don’t respect the instructions of power about the hijab. I see the narratives of the many tourists that became surprised when they saw Tehran, quite different from what is portrayed in the media. Resistance doesn’t only belong to political actors and human rights activists; it is generalized in the different social strata that defy the will of the conservatives to impose a particular lifestyle. For example, the woman singing is forbidden in Iran but we see how female singers share their videos on social networks without giving any importance to the instructions of fundamentalist Islamists. According to many researchers, Iranian culture defined by a diversity in life, and the repression of this diversity is impossible.

The conservatives cannot suppress all the Iranians traditions which are based on dance, music, festivals, in the different Iranian provinces. In this sense, we should see the struggle of Iranian women on multiple fronts. All these fights lead to a common demand: we do not want to be isolated; we will be present in all areas of life, and you cannot deny our existence. For many Iranian Internet citizens, this raised fist had a strong meaning: apart from all the restrictions, Iranian women exist and continue to fight. In this context, this image and the expression of the Iranian woman runner can share meanings about the situation of women’s rights in Iran: despite innumerable restrictions we will continue our fight. The raised fist symbolizes all Iranian women who are striving to achieve their goals.