An excellent article about female agency within traditional (er, patriarchal) family structures from LA Times.
“As women became better educated, their influence within the family grew.
Without intending to, Iran’s clerical leadership helped to foster “‘the empowerment of Iranian women,’ said Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, an Iran expert at Virginia Tech. ‘The mullahs may be winning the battle on the streets, but women are winning the battle inside the family.'”
Article: Iran’s birth control policy sent birthrate tumbling (LA Times)
Wayfaring Feminist 