This is really important.
This post originally appeared in The Joy Thief newsletter. To get more articles like this straight to your inbox, subscribe.
This newsletter was born from activism burn-out.
I love writing so much and writing The Joy Thief is an energising way for me to highlight the systemic structures implemented to steal and limit our joy.
Writing fuels me more often than it burns me out, which is the opposite of how I felt about other forms of activism I have previously undertaken.
Activism is integral to the unravelling of any system that steals joy.
Activism is at the heart of all the joy we have ever or will ever reclaim, so activism must always be an integral part of this newsletter.
So… I want to highlight something important.
Iran has sentenced a protestor to death.
And many, many more are expected to follow.
Since the police murder of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was detained by ‘morality police’ for not conforming to a strict dress code, protests have been calling for an end to gender discrimination and have criticised Iran’s leadership over their sexist tyranny.
According to the BBC, over 15,000 protestors have been detained.
With the Iranian government voting to implement a death penalty on those ‘committing serious crimes against the state’, this is an impending humanitarian crisis.
Email officials to stop the executions
Stolen joy is the inability to wear what you want, when you want.
Stolen joy is the inability to safety to speak against leadership you disagree with.
Stolen joy is being denied legal rights and access to equality and freedom.
These injustices, and the subsequent joylessness they create, happen at intersections of power that exist to steal joy by enforcing harm. Reclaiming joy must be intersectional and I truly believe systemic joy can be achieved through the collective and community.
I have struggled to know how to help Iranian protestors in a quantifiable and meaningful way. If, like me, you’ve struggled too, then use 30 seconds of your time to press the button below to send an email to help create global political pressure that could save the lives of protestors fighting for their freedom and joy.
If you’re on your phone* reading this, it’s honestly as easy as clicking the button, selecting your country template and hitting send. 3 clicks. 30 seconds.
*If you’re reading this on a web browser, the autogenerate email links may not work. Please switch to mobile.
If you want to learn more about the situation in Iran, follow @TheWorldWideTribe, @PersiansWithPurpose, @Raeekayassaie, @BeIransVoice, @ElicaLeBon.
Special thanks to Fran (activist & friend) for taking the time to send me links when my scatterbrain couldn’t find them.
