We unequivocally support the protests currently happening in Iran as women and girls seek a universal right to equality, and in particular the right to make their own decisions as to how they look and dress.
There have been widespread protests over the past month to mark the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini at the hands of the “Morality Police” and to protest the subsequent deaths of other young women. Universities historically have been at the forefront of protests in Iran, and uprisings there have been violently suppressed in recent weeks. A recent example is the brutal crackdown by security forces at Sharif University of Technology, one of the top engineering schools in Iran. Security forces attacked students and faculty who were peacefully protesting inside the campus. Many were beaten and shot with more than 100 reported arrests thus far. Other major universities across the country have also experienced brutality by security forces.
We believe it is essential that the academic community worldwide take a strong stand to condemn brutal attacks on peaceful protests by students, faculty and the public and hold the Islamic Republic accountable. The GENMAC community condemns these actions and offers unequivocal support for the Iranian people in their fight for freedom.
ACTION STEPS:
- Continue to shed light on the marginalization and oppression suffered by women across the world, and to combat the policing of women’s bodies.
- As an academic community that focuses on gender in consumption and markets, we will continue to research, engage in teaching activities, and foment public policy directives that explain and address the oppression of women, and that highlight the intersectional social relations that contribute to specific forms of gender marginalization and oppression.
- Actively seek out opportunities for special issues in journals that help bring insight and remedy to the marketing, markets, and consumption practices and policies that contribute to gender marginalization and oppression.
NOTE: GENMAC is an organization committed to critical research on gender, markets, and consumers. GENMAC is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion as the organization’s core values. Diversity is defined as appreciating and leveraging our differences involving and reflecting the communities we serve. Equity is defined as aligning our policies, practices, and resources so that people of all races, cultures, and socioeconomic statuses have genuine opportunities to thrive. Inclusion is defined as creating an environment in which everyone feels valued and respected. This commitment is critical to deepening our relevance, credibility, and effectiveness as an organization that focuses on gender and intersectionality in marketing and consumer research.