crumbling of the twisted

Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman died in Teheran a few days ago, and these days her face won’t leave my mind. She appeared in front of me as I walked, thinking about her beautiful country and the amazing people I met there, a long time ago. The look in her eyes shook me as the flood of thoughts and emotions rose to the surface. I thought of how she must have felt, in those last moments of her life, how hopeless and alone she must have been while horrible, twisted men beat her to death. No one should die like that, no one should ever feel that way.

I know many people, men, women and children die every day, many of them by someone’s hand. I know Mahsa is not the only one, but she is a symbol now, an immortal reminder of all the evil men do in the name of “God” and “religion”.

People of Iran, I pray for you. Don’t give up until these “religious authorities” are put in their place. Their twisted ideology doesn’t represent God, saints or prophets of any kind, only their personal greed and insecurities and absolute disconnect from their own hearts and the people they claim they serve. It’s nothing but a construct of obsolete, toxic masculinity and misrepresentation of “faith” that was given too much power in a system that enables such evil to claim a position of superiority and dominance.

We don’t need “morality police” or “supreme leaders” of any kind, to tell women what to wear and how to behave. No matter what they say, it’s no word of God that dictates these lies, but a twisted ideology of deeply wounded men that belong to the past. They must fall; their lies must be exposed and their power removed forever, not just in Iran, but everywhere.

There must be a way for human beings to finally heal this cancer that stripped humankind of its humanity for centuries now. And no, I am not talking about religion. I am not doubting Faith or any higher power you might believe in. Keep your beliefs, but open your hearts and you will see the difference between God and religion; the great gap between the Words and how men twisted them.

Men, real men, kind-hearted, loving, respecting men – please step out and walk with your mothers, sisters and daughters. Stand by their side, where you belong. Support them and protect them from any harm, as you are meant to. Fight for their rights and freedoms many men have enjoyed and abused for far too long. Let go of any pretences of strength and domination, and recognize them as lies they are. Look at the eyes of the strong, powerful woman next to you and bow down, not in submission but with respect and wonder. The new world needs us all, men and women, to stand together, hand in hand, heart in heart, if we are to blossom.

Dear Mahsa, I bow down to you and your sacrifice. I hope your name is never forgotten and your legacy is freedom and respect for women everywhere and a new beginning for all the people of your beautiful country. I hope your death is a spark that starts a fire that burns forever in your brothers and sisters. The ones in power will try to extinguish that fire. They will arrest, beat and probably kill many more in a useless attempt to rule by fear and lies, unaware that these things are never permanent and their acts will be judged. Whatever they do, I hope your brothers and sisters have the strength and resolve not to give in, no matter how difficult it might be. They are not alone – the hearts of every true man and every awakened woman beat in unison with theirs.