Iranian Women’s Identity and Cyberspace: Case study of Stealthy Freedom

Abstract

Gender related identity formation of women has been influenced by numerous parameters in recent years. The status of women in Iran today is not comparable to that in the past. Significant changes have occurred as communities and households respond to social and economic shifts associated with globalization, new technologies and environmental pressures. What is obvious is that, along with the globalization and current social and intellectual upheavals, society and women both have adopted a more transitory and unbalanced attitude towards women’s gender identity. Of the most remarkable factors impacting on this shift in attitude has been the role of mass media, modern media such as the internet in particular. Meanwhile among the different views of identity, there is often a shared assumption that the ways in which identity is defined and hence what counts as identity are undergoing far-reaching changes in the contemporary world. This is certainly debatable, but it does imply that one place to look for evidence of change would be women, and perhaps specifically their relation with new technologies. Therefore, I intend to raise some broad points about how we understand digital technology, women and their relationship. This paper first explores theoretical perspectives on cyberfeminism within the definition of identity and its relation with gender. Then the formation of female identity and its elements in regard with media will be contemplated. The most essential aim is investigating women’s gender identity and its relevance to media, modern media such as the internet in particular. For this study I examine women’s representation in media particularly the internet with a focus on stealthy freedom campaign which allow me to show how Iranian women are shaping their identity quit apart from the pressure of a male dominated society that will provide further insight into this unresolved question. The study of the impact of media on women’s identity and an analysis of the due changes together with suggesting strategies to navigate towards this impact will be other serious concerns.