Then...

For a year, 1976-1977, my family lived in Tehran, Iran.

Now...

I have lived in over nine states, and have lived in Washington State for almost 30 years.

Then...

I was in 6th grade and went to Tehran American School; the school housed kindergarten through seniors. Students whose parents were in the military, oil business, or medical field, like my dad.

Now...

I have my dream teaching job at (school name)..beautiful facilities, qualified staff, and amazing students

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Then...

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Americans could come and go as they please, as well as Iranians. Iranian women did not have to wear the veil, they had the freedom to make those choices (or at least I thought so: perhaps their families chose for them).

This is me, around 12 or 13, at our house in Tehran

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Now...

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What I find fascinating about this is how women all over the world continue to uphold the patriarchy; deep, fundamental beliefs are not negotiable unless they interfere or do harm to others. Also, note the little girl in this photo (2006) is the age of some of the teenage girls who are protesting now (2022).

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From https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-47032829

Then...

Now...

Then...

I remember women wearing what they chose-- if they wore a chador, or more Westernized clothing, no one blinked an eye. Or at least my naive adolescent self thought. Women breastfed their babies, managed households, held jobs, had the freedom to travel, and receive an education.

I often wonder what happened to the Iranian teenage girls who lived down the street.

https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/rock-hits-1976/pl.aecc672f0abf45b88dbc69574122b652

...I am not sure what's going to happen. In the United States, state after state is banning and criminalizing access to reproductive health. The protests continue in Iran. Hundreds are being murdered and harmed. This is not the future I imagined when I was 12.

Still keeping the faith and hope.

Now...

https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/hits-2022-todays-top-songs/pl.f8f5a99597794dcfac4bc206bf309c93

I haven't listened to a single one of these (yet). Oops -- just started listening to the 1976 list and can't stop.

me
1976
12

me
2022
58