In mid-summer of 2017, a social media campaign called White Wednesdays began sharing through Facebook a coordinated effort among Iranians to protest the compulsory hijab by wearing a white hijab on Wednesdays. In this way, women and men who were like-minded could recognize one another by the symbolic color. From there, it has progressed to women sharing photos without their hijabs and now even walking down the street hijab-free and sharing videos of their experiences.
Some women face having their cars confiscated or being detained or facing court fines, but the movement continues to gain traction.
White Wednesdays is an offshoot of the “My Steathy Freedom” Campaign formed three years ago to protest compulsory hijabs. A separate page on Facebook gives more information about this campaign:
We launched a campaign called “My Stealthy Freedom” to say NO to forced hijab.. Today we need to keep reminding all politicians and all female tourists who visit Iran of the compulsory hijab. We need a #hijabdeal because the hijab is a global issue when all women who visit Iran are forced to wear it.
While millions of women wear the veil as part of the World Hijab Day in solidarity with veiled women, it is not fair to ignore thoese women on this special day. Millions of women have been forced to wear the hijab from the age of seven—if they refused to wear the hijab, they would be deprived of an education. It is also about the time that we shouted “No Wall, No Ban” for women who are forced to wear the veil.
We are for freedom of choice and we find compulsion to be deplorable whether it is done to veil or unveil a woman.
#WorldHijabDay
Iconic Photo of Woman Freeing Herself of Hijab Becomes Symbol of Iran Protests