It is human nature to respond to humiliation with defiance (Black is Beautiful, Queer/slut, meaning the terms used to hurt and debase, are upturned as symbols of affirming and reclaiming identity).

This happens on both individual and collective levels. Of course government repression is absolutely wrong, but the context again, is Western imperialism ie the imposition of the Shah, and the looting of the countries oil reserves, not to mention non stop interference and hostility by NATO aligned forces.

The theocracy that arose in resistance to USA/UK's military threats /coup is sadly over-reacting to citizens' challenging a narrow view of Islam.

Categories of men generally get more controlling of women the less power they feel on the national/international stage.