The global love for football is showing up for the World Cup, but for Iranian women, at least for now, it’s a reminder of unreachable goals.
“Women are not allowed to attend football matches in Iran,” said Pink Card producer Sima Orieye.
A new audio documentary called “Pink Card” on ESPN’s 30 for 30 Podcasts explores generations of women in defiance of Iran’s ban on women entering stadiums.
Some people dress up as men and go inside to watch their favorite sport.
Oliaee describes the stadium as a symbol of oppression.
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“Symbols are how the regime uses force to show its capabilities, its strength, and to keep fear alive, so women remain submissive,” she said.
A first-generation Iranian-American, Oliaee began working on the project well before protests erupted in Iran following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody. She died days after the moral police arrested her on suspicion of wearing the hijab improperly.
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She tackles an ongoing demonstration in the final installment of her four-episode podcast.
“Iranian women tell me that anything can and will change, so if I can help them in any way, that would be great.
She hopes the pink card will inspire.
“I want people around the world to know that if you want to start a women’s revolution in your country, it starts in the smallest of millimeters,” she said.
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