Why Iranian Men Are Wearing Hijab

Photos of men wearing hijab, the traditional headscarf worn by Muslim women, have flooded social media. It's more than just a trend or hashtag, though. It's a statement supporting women in Iran. The country currently makes it mandatory for females to wear hijabs. As The Daily Dot notes, that law has received a lot of backlash. My Stealthy Freedom has lead the charge, starting a campaign encouraging Iranian women to share photos of themselves without a hijab. "In Iran women have to cover their hair in public according to the dress rule enforced after the Iranian Revolution in 1979," the My Stealthy Freedom site explains. "My Stealthy Freedom is an online social movement where Iranian women share photos of themselves without wearing the hijab." Men are now showing their support by donning hijab and sharing the #MeninHijab hashtag. The argument is that Iranian women should have the right to choose whether or not to cover their hair. "We Iranian boys do not support compulsory hijab," one participant wrote. Whether the movement spurs Iran to change its laws remains to be seen. In the meantime, it's a powerful display of gender equality.