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‘Are you really helping?’: Fans slam Marion Cotillard for cutting hair in solidarity with Iranian women

The video, hashtagged HairForFreedom, comes when Iran is engulfed by anti-government protests

PARIS, FRANCE: In news that surfaced on various platforms, a host of French actresses, including Oscar winners Juliette Binoche and Marion Cotillard, human rights advocates, and a European lawmaker have chopped off a lock of hair to support Iranian protesters. The 'La Vie En Rose' star is now being criticized for cutting her hair short as part of the protest, Unilad reports.

In a video that was shared on Instagram with the hashtag #HairForFreedom, the Oscar winner Marion can be seen chopping off her hair cut alongside celebrities Juliette Binoche, Charlotte Rampling, Charlotte Gainsbourg, and singer Jane Birkin. What happened in Iran? Why are people cutting their hair? Let's find out.

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What happened in Iran?

Mahsa Amini was recently killed in police custody alleged due to police brutality. She died in Tehran, Iran on September 16. The police that represents the Islamic Republic of Iran took Mahsa Amini, 22, in custody with other women for "explanation and instruction" about the dress rules. In the country, the special police unit enforces a strict dress code for women, which includes a compulsory hijab (headscarf). Her death has sparked outrage across the Middle Eastern country, with protesters taking to the streets in all 31 provinces. Many protesters set fire to their headscarves, and cut off their hair, calling for the Iranian regime's downfall.

Why are people cutting their hair?

Hair cutting is culturally significant in Iran and has been described as a sign of protest, rage, or grief in ancient Persian literature. Internationally, the gesture has gained popularity among supporters and demonstrators from the Iranian diaspora (many of whom left after the 1979 revolution and other times of widespread protests in 2009 and 2019), according to Washington Post.

French actresses cut their hair

The historical Italian protest song 'Bella Ciao' is played somberly over a montage of French actresses cutting their hair in one widely circulated video that also includes information about Amini's case. Binoche can be seen looking into the camera while donning all black. The actress who starred in 'The English Patient' and 'Chocolat' cuts off a section of her hair with scissors before yelling, "For freedom." Marion, who is well known for playing French singer Edith Piaf in the 2007 film 'La Vie en Rose,' also cut her hair and wrote in the caption, "For the courageous women and men of Iran who are changing the world at this very moment, fighting for freedom. We stand by you."

Nadeine Asbali, a columnist and educator, was unrelenting in her criticism of the celebrities' #HairForFreedom initiatives. Asbali agreed that speaking out for the cause is a "good thing," but she believed this solidarity extended to Iranian women, is "misguided" on several levels. and has become "incredibly problematic." She wrote in her column on Metro, "Firstly, it’s painfully selective. Where is the burning anger of French actresses when Muslim women in their own country are fighting for the right to cover themselves? Where were the French actresses defiantly flouting anti-niqab rules in solidarity with their own country-women who were banned from public spaces wearing their religious attire?"

The video has gone viral receiving tons of likes and responses but not everyone agrees with it. People criticized Marion for supporting women in Iran. One user commented on Instagram, "Wow please fight for freedom for hijabis to wear their scarfs, burkinis, etc in France first! Never seen anything from you guys that supports women who want to wear a hijab here in Europe. Particularly France, which attacks those women regularly, who are banned from offices and bringing their kids to school." Another user commented, "Please do the same when a small kid probably 7-8 years old died of heart failure when a Israeli monsters ran after this kid to his home. He died of fear. Please raise your voice for injustice everywhere, dont cherry pick which benefit your own agendas." One user on Twitter said, "How would cutting hair in France help women in Iran?" Another user wrote, "Do these french actresses do the same on hijab ban in France." One user tweeted, "Do women in the West who perform theatrical hair cutting really think they are helping women in Iran? Wonder which hair salon each will be visiting right after cameras are turned off. #HairForFreedom."

Disclaimer: This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.