Outsiders: Táhirih

Táhirih (c. 1814 - 1852) was a poet, theologian, and revolutionary. Born into privilege in 19th-century Persia, she defied religious and cultural expectations to become a leading voice in the Bábí movement. Her fearless advocacy for women’s equality and her dramatic unveiling at the Conference of Badasht shocked a nation. Though executed for her beliefs, her words and legacy continue to inspire movements for justice and freedom today.

For Further Reading:

• Reflecting on Two Revolutionary Characters of Faith: The Apostle Paul and Jenab-i Táhirih
• The legend of Persia’s Qurrat al-’Ayn Tahirih, who publicly unveiled and inspired a long revolution
• Tahirih was a Persion feminist pioneer we don’t hear enough about
• Tahirih unveiled: poet, theologian and revolutionary
• Tahirih A Portrait in Poetry
• Point by Point
• Look Up!

This month we're talking about Outsiders -- women who marched to the beat of their own drum and rejected stereotypes about what women "should" be. They are aesthetic pioneers, norm-benders, and often the only woman in their field.

History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.

Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, Luci Jones, Abbey Delk, Adrien Behn, Alyia Yates, Vanessa Handy, Melia Agudelo, and Joia Putnoi. Special thanks to Shira Atkins.

Original theme music by Brittany Martinez.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hello from Wonder Media Network. I'm Jenny Kaplan and this
is Wamanica. This month, we're talking about outsiders, women who
march to the beat of their own drum and rejected
stereotypes about what women should be. Their ascetic pioneers, norm benders,
and often one of the only women in their field. Today,
we're traveling back in time to one hundred and fifty

(00:24):
years ago in a remote corner of Persia. On this day,
there's a large public gathering. Men walk to and fro,
talking amongst themselves, a low rumble filling the room. But suddenly,
amidst the cacophony of male voices, a female face shines
through and the noise fades as everyone is shocked into silence.

(00:45):
For the first time, she stands before them, a woman unveiled.
Let's talk about ta Hora Tahre was born Fatima Baragani
and Aron sometime between eighteen fourteen and eighteen nineteen. She
was raised in a prominent clerical family. From a young age,
she demonstrated a keen intellect and a penchant for learning.

(01:07):
At just seven months old, she was already able to talk.
Her father, recognizing her potential, provided her with an education,
uncommon for women of her era. She delved into poetry
and philosophy, eventually earning a diploma in theology, a rare
feat for a woman at the time, but because Fatima
was a woman, she was forced to study under the

(01:27):
supervision of her father and eventually to get married to
a cousin. But tahre longed for more. She divorced her husband,
which was virtually unheard of at the time. Fatima's thirst
for knowledge led her to correspond with a religious reformer
known as the Bob. Fatima quickly became one of the
first converts to the Bob's new religious ideology, which officially

(01:50):
took hold in eighteen forty four and proclaimed a new
interpretation of Shia Islam. The followers, called Bobby's believed that
a new era of deay divine guidance had begun. They
saw the Bob as a manifestation of God, one who
had come to renew religion and prepare humanity for the
appearance of a greater prophet. They rejected rigid interpretations of

(02:13):
Islamic law and embraced principles of spiritual equality, justice, and unity.
Among the most controversial of their beliefs was the notion
that men and women were equal in the eyes of God.
A teaching Fatima champion. Fervently drawn to the cause, Fatima
traveled as far as Iraq to teach classes, spreading the
word of the bob. As support grew, she began challenging

(02:37):
religious authorities to public debates and would push people to
question their beliefs. In a poem from the time, she
pointedly wrote, no moss Cock's holiness. It does not know
no sham, no pious fraud, no priest's commands. The turbans
not cut to its root below. No more conjurations, no

(03:00):
spell no ghosts. Good riddance, We are done with folly's show.
In the summer of eighteen forty eight, Fatima traveled to
another Iranian village where a gathering of eighty one prominent
Bobby leaders was taking place. She was the only woman present.
The conference was tense from the start. Many of the
Bobbies were unsure how far the new teachings should diverge

(03:21):
from Sharia law. Fatima, however, came prepared not only to
discuss doctrine, but also to make a statement. On one
of the final days of the conference, she did the
unthinkable and appeared before her male counterparts without her veil.
Gasps erupted. At that time, it was considered by some
a sin to even look at the shadow of a woman. Reportedly,

(03:44):
one man was so shocked that he slit his own throat.
But Fatima stood firm. She declared that the laws of
the past had ended, that a new age had begun,
that the Bob's revelation was not just a reform of Islam,
it was a total break from it. This was a
new religion, and with it, a new role for women
was dawning. Fatima's act was revolutionary. It signaled the beginning

(04:06):
of a true break from Islam. It was at that
time she was given the name Tahare, meaning the pure One,
the Moniker, was given to her by the man who
had later found the Baha'i faith. The title recognized her
spiritual purity and her bravery. Later, Tahare would reflect that
day in her poetry break the chains, The dawn is near,

(04:28):
the veil is dust, The path is clear, Let tyrants rage,
let priests condemn. The truth has come make way for them.
Four years later, in the late summer of eighteen fifty two,
Taharre was executed for her continued dedication to her faith.
She was held under house arrest for weeks, offered escape
if she renounced her beliefs. She refused. Though her death

(04:51):
was meant to silence her, it made her a martyr.
At the end of her life, she allegedly proclaimed, you
can kill me as soon as you like, but you'll
never stop the emancipate of women. Tahre is remembered not
just as a poet and theologian, but as one of
the first women in Iran to openly demand equality, and
the decades that followed, her name became a rallying cry
for women's rights activists in the region. Today, she's honored

(05:15):
by the Bahai community and by scholars of religion and
feminism worldwide. All month, We're talking about Outsiders. For more information,
find us on Facebook and Instagram at Womanica Podcast special
thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co creator.
Talk to you tomorrow.