Male pharmacists come up with brilliant response to Iran's new hijab law for their female colleagues

Iranian women have been protesting against the use of a hijab since 2022. It blew up when 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was arrested by the Iranian morality police for not wearing a hijab properly and she later died in their custody. While the protests have brought the issue to the international stage, constant pushback has been seen from the Iranian government.

Recently, Iran's Food and Drug Administration has mandated that all female pharmacy workers have to wear black hijabs in the workplace. But in turn, their male co-workers decided to protest this move by wearing hijab themselves at the workplace, reports My Modern Met. 

Journalist Masih Alinejad tweeted two pictures of men wearing hijabs at pharmacy stores on March 7, 2023. She captioned the post: "Iran’s Food & Drug Administration has ordered pharmacies to force their female staff to wear black veils at the workplace. Iranian men are mocking this order and supporting their female colleagues by wearing hijabs. The compulsory hijab is the main pillar of a religious relationship. Together we will bring this wall down."

Alinejad called on international pharmacists to support their Iranian colleagues. "Many women lost their job for the crime of resisting compulsory hijab laws. Forcing women to wear hijab is an insult to all women and men across the globe. Human rights are a global matter. Show your solidarity," she wrote.

One of the male pharmacist's pictures was shared on Reddit also. Many on the social media platform were happy about men opposing this new law. u/GregoryGregory666666 commented, "Wondering if this will backfire on the men or not? But good for them for standing in unity." u/ZoopZeZoop wrote, "Those men are incredibly brave! I hope they and their families stay safe! u/Bulletbikeguy expressed, "When the cost for standing up for women's rights and equality is quite possibly a torturous death... Well done!" 

According to the new directive, pharmacy managers are reportedly supposed to monitor the way female employees are covered. Moreover, if anyone opens a pharmacy, they are meant to give a written commitment to follow this rule, reports Iran International.

In the last few weeks, about two pharmacies in Tehran and Amol in the north have been shut down because their female employers were allegedly wearing hijabs in an "improper" manner. However, the head of the Mizan news agency, which is affiliated with the judiciary, claimed that the pharmacy in Tehran was closed because "its owner disrespected the person who warned her to observe the hijab," reports RadioFreeEurope.

Last week, FDA officials sent a letter to trade unions asking for stricter enforcement of this new mandatory law in the capital's stores and businesses. In another development, Shiraz University has summoned students whose hijabs were found "improper" to be part of "mandatory hijab counseling sessions."

Since the death of Amini in September 2022, Iranian women and schoolgirls have been on protests against the lack of rights and it is said to be one of the biggest threats to the Iranian government since the 1979 revolution, according to RadioFreeEurope. In response to the protests, the government has detained thousands and handed out harsh sentences, including the death penalty to protesters.