Sahar Khodayari also known as the “Blue Girl”, was an Iranian woman who self-immolated in Tehran to protest the national laws banning females from attending sports events and entering stadiums since the Islamic Revolution.

She was a fan of Esteghlal F.C, and in March 2019, she attempted to gain entry at the male-only Azadi Stadium while disguised as a man to watch a match played by the team. On 2 September 2019, she was told by the Islamic Revolutionary Court that she may face a six-month prison sentence. After leaving court, she died by suicide through self-immolation in front of the building, succumbing to her injuries a week later. Khodayari’s politicized suicide has generated much debate in Iran about the government’s restrictions on women.

FIFA, after Iran was chosen to host select qualifier games for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, stated that the Iranian government must allow women into the stadium to see those international football matches. Iran guaranteed such entry for the first time after 40 years, one month after Sahar’s death.

Who was Sahar

A family in Salm, Kiar County, Chaharmahal, and Bakhtiari Province, Iran, welcomed Sahar Khodayari into the world in 1990. There is a sister in her family. Later on, the family called Tehran home. Khodayari received degrees in computer science and English from university. In her early years, she developed an interest in football. Because of the colors of her favorite Tehran-based team, Esteghlal FC, she went by the handle “Blue Girl” on social media.

A Dream Denied: Why Iranian Women Can’t Enter Stadiums

In March 2019 Khodayari tried to enter Azadi Stadium to watch an AFC Champions League match between Esteghlal and Al Ain FC. Because women in Iran have been prohibited since 1981 from attending football matches, she disguised herself as a man to enter undetected. (Women may attend other sports, such as volleyball matches. But the security guards noticed Khodayari and arrested her for violating the prohibition; they took her to the local NAJA. She was held for three nights in jail before being released on bail, pending her court case. According to Amnesty International, Sahar Khodayari was ordered six months later to attend a Revolutionary Court in Tehran on 2 September 2019 to give a reason for her attempt to enter the stadium. She was charged with “openly committing a sinful act by appearing in public without a hijab“ and “insulting officials”. While no verdict was delivered in her case because the judge was unavailable, she was reportedly told she might face a six-month jail sentence. After Khodayari left the court, she poured petrol on herself and set herself on fire outside the courthouse.

Feminism and Political Action: Fighting for Change

Feminism offers a perspective that helps comprehend Iranian women’s self-immolation as an expression of oppression and violence perpetrated by males. Feminist theory emphasizes how cultural norms that devalue women’s lives and autonomy, together with deeply ingrained gender inequities, are the primary cause of such violent behaviors. It acknowledges female self-immolation as an evil kind of violence against women, representative of more extensive structural injustices that Iranians and other women endure.

In order to solve social, cultural, and political challenges, political activity involves coordinating collective action. Within the Blue girl’s context, political activity against female self-immolation takes several forms, from neighborhood initiatives to global advocacy efforts. Protests, social media, diplomatic channels—all serve as venues that activists use to draw attention to issues, hold authorities accountable, and exert pressure for change. Legislative reforms are frequently sought after by feminist political activity in order to uphold women’s rights and punish offenders of gender-based violence responsibly. As a reaction to the Iranian women’s immolation, campaigners could push for stricter laws that forbid honor murders, domestic abuse, and other types of gender-based violence. They could also advocate for changes to the legal system to guarantee the unbiased and fair resolution of instances involving violence against women.

Feminist political action strives to foster cultural change and fight patriarchal conventions in addition to changing laws and policies. Gender-sensitive education, the promotion of alternative models of masculinity and femininity that place a higher priority on equality and respect, and the challenge of conventional ideas and attitudes that justify violence against women are some of the strategies that may be used in Iran to prevent immolation. In the end, feminist political engagement aims to eradicate the underlying causes of violence against women and girls in addition to addressing current crises and implementing structural change over the long run. In order to achieve this, it may be necessary to question ingrained power structures, support women in leadership roles and decision-making capacities, and push for more extensive social and economic changes that put gender justice first.

In feminist politics, the media and advocacy are essential because they influence the public’s views, dispel prejudices, and impel support for gender equality. In order to expose violations of human rights, raise awareness of violence against women, and amplify the voices of survivors, activists can make use of a variety of media venues, including social media, conventional media, and creative expressions. International solidarity amongst supporters of women’s rights is promoted by feminist political activity that cuts across national boundaries. International solidarity is vital in Iran because it helps Iranian feminists get their voices heard, spreads knowledge about gender-based violence, and puts pressure on the Iranian government to respect human rights norms. Global feminist networks offer forums for exchanging tools, tactics, and encouragement in the struggle against patriarchal dictatorships.

Intersection of feminism and political activism

The intersection of feminism and political activism provides a powerful framework for understanding and addressing the immolation of women in Iran. By analyzing the root causes of gender-based violence, mobilizing collective action, advocating for legal and cultural change, and fostering global solidarity, feminist activists strive to create a world where all women can live free from violence and oppression.

The Fight Continues

Psychiatric symptoms and cultural issues like excessive depression, family honor slander, marital arguments, bigamy, dissatisfaction with education, addiction, alcoholism, and poverty are the main causes of suicide in developing countries, where young women from low-income families commit almost all suicides. In Europe and Far-East Asia, the majority of patients who self-immolate are female; this is in contrast to the USA and Spain, where the majority of suicides are male. More emphasis should be placed on suicide and self-immolation in particular by NGOs, planners, experts, and governments. It is recommended that preventative measures place greater emphasis on cooperation, teamwork, and commitment and that they be implemented with accuracy, patience, and tenacity. While the demands discussed affect all healthcare professionals, by self-immolation patients, nursing staff particularly in burn units are often the most vulnerable and susceptible group to job-related stress; therefore, they need extraordinary support.

FIFA made a statement about Khodayari’s death:

We are aware of that tragedy and deeply regret it.

Iran has been chosen to host 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification matches and FIFA has said the country must provide for free entry of women to those international matches. She died in hospital one week later due to third-degree burns that she had suffered (approximately 90% of her skin surface area had been affected). According to DW, the six-month jail sentence had been affirmed while she was in hospital. In October 2019, Iranian women were allowed to attend a football match in Iran for the 1^st time in 40 years.